Karnataka govt holds striking RTC employees responsible for driver Rabeed Rasool’s murder

coastaldigest.com news network
April 17, 2021

Bengaluru, Apr 17: Even as the tussle between the Karnataka government and striking workers of the state road transport corporations (RTC) led to the death of a driver who had reported to work, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi held the agitators responsible for the unfortunate incident. 

Rabeed Rasool Avati, a driver working with the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) succumbed to his injuries after stones were pelted at the bus he was driving on Friday. 

Mr. Avati, 56, was taking the bus on the Vijayapura-Jamkhandi route when unidentified persons pelted stones at the windshield. The broken pieces of glass caused a gash on the driver’s neck. Mr. Avati, who was bleeding heavily, was immediately rushed to Jamkhandi Taluk Hospital, but could not be saved.

"The striking workers said it will be a peaceful protest but have claimed the life of their colleague now. The government will not forgive this. Those on strike are not allowing workers to return to duty and think they can deter the loyal workers through criminal acts," Mr Savadi said in a statement.

The DyCM announced a compensation of R 30 lakh and a job on compassionate grounds to a family member of the deceased. Soon after the announcement, NWKRTC managing director Krishna Bajpai visited the family of the deceased and handed over a cheque for Rs 30 lakh.

The KSRTC State Road Transport Corporation Employee League, the organisation observing the indefinite strike, also condemned the incident. “Our organisation is in no way linked to the incident. We have been asking employees not to resort to any kind of violence,” said R. Chandrashekar, president of the league.

Though the office-bearers of the league have been reiterating that the indefinite strike will continue till the State government meets their demands, the number of employees reporting back to duty has also been gradually increasing by the day.

On Friday, which was the tenth day of the strike, RTCs managed to run more than 5,500 buses, of which Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation operated more than 2,500. On Thursday, the corporations operated over 4,000 buses.

On the other hand, the number of incidents of stone pelting on moving buses also increased. Till Friday, 80 buses had been damaged by miscreants. Officials claimed that because of the ongoing strike, RTCs had suffered a revenue loss of Rs 187 crore so far.

On RTCs operating more buses daily, Mr. Chandrashekar said, “The corporations are giving distorted figures. Officials are resorting to various tactics and pressuring the bus crew to report to work. No one is voluntarily reporting back to duty.”

Sacking spree

The four RTCs on Friday sacked 254 employees, taking the total number of such workers to 1,054. In addition, 489 employees remain suspended from service.

The murder of employee is expected to bring more edge to the government's stern action starting Saturday, when the polling in the byelections are set to be completed.

Meanwhile, more employees reported to duty on Friday, helping the four RTCs to run more buses instead of depending on private players. By 9 pm, 5,639 buses were operated from the four corporations.

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News Network
January 3,2025

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BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath and several BJP leaders were arrested in Mangaluru during a protest organized by the Dakshina Kannada BJP Yuva Morcha near Mini Vidhana Soudha. 

The protest targeted the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government, accusing it of fostering an environment of harassment and distress, which the BJP claims has led to multiple suicides among contractors and government officials.

Key Points:

Addressing the gathering before his arrest, Kamath criticized the Congress government, alleging that neither contractors nor honest officials have found peace since it assumed power. He remarked, "Suicide seems to be the only 'guarantee' under this administration."

Kamath cited the suicide of contractor Sachin, allegedly driven to death by harassment from individuals linked to Minister Priyank Kharge.

Other cases highlighted included the suicides of Chandrashekar, superintendent of the Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation, and Rudresh, who was allegedly harassed by an aide of Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar.

Kamath also referred to a Dalit inspector, Parashuram, who reportedly succumbed to alleged torture connected to Congress MLA Channareddy Patil’s son.

He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar of remaining silent due to political fears over their positions.

Prominent BJP leaders such as Ramesh Kandetthu, Premananda Shetty, Vikas Puttur, Nandan Mallya, Monappa Bhandary, Pooja Pai, Deputy Mayor Bhanumathi, and Sanjay Prabhu participated in the protest alongside party workers and municipal council members.

The protest escalated, resulting in the arrest of Kamath and other BJP leaders by the police, marking a dramatic standoff between BJP and Congress.

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News Network
January 6,2025

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Journalist Mohammad Hijazi has been killed in an Israeli attack, raising the number of media workers killed by Zionist forces since the start of the war on Gaza to 220.

The Israeli regime forces killed the Palestinian writer, poet and journalist in an airstrike on northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, according to his family.

He was among nearly 90 other Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardment across the besieged territory in the last 24 hours, according to a Gaza Health Ministry statement on Sunday.

“I don’t know if I will write to you again. I keep what I have written and am writing. Maybe it will come to light one day. I refuse a cheap death. I curse the murderer,” Hijazi wrote in a post on social media in August 2023.

“Let us in this bottom that we have finally reached, arm ourselves with patience and prayer, and count the days we have lived as a historic achievement while awaiting what is coming with a broken heart, an extinguished eye, a head held high, and a spirit that fights until the end of the road.”

Since the Israeli killing machine imposed a military siege of northern Gaza in early October intensifying its bombing attacks on the the Jabalia camp, hundreds of people have been killed.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Sunday that at least 88 Palestinians had been killed and 208 others injured in the past 24 hours alone.

According to media reports from central Gaza, among those killed in the latest Israeli strikes across Gaza on Sunday were three Palestinians who were living in a tent in Deir el-Balah.

A family of 15 people was also buried under the rubble in Gaza City, following a separate strike, media reported.

The Israeli regime launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by the Palestinian  Hamas resistance movement in October last year, killing more than 45,805 Palestinians and wounding 109,064 others.

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News Network
January 1,2025

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A new report released by the UN Human Rights Office says Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on hospitals in Gaza have had a catastrophic effect on the territory’s healthcare system.

Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Tuesday the regime has used heavy bombs to attack civilians taking shelter in hospitals.

Laurence added that the UN office has also verified the precision targeting of people inside hospitals, including healthcare workers.

He stressed that deliberate attacks on places where the sick and wounded are treated is a war crime.

“And beyond the conflict itself, civilians were seriously impacted. Women, especially pregnant women, have suffered gravely,” he said.

“Our Office received reports that newborns had died because their mothers were unable to attend postnatal check-ups or reach medical facilities to give birth,” he added.

“Intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are treated, provided they are not military objectives, is a war crime,” he said.

“Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities is a war crime. And intentionally launching disproportionate attacks is also war crime,” he stated.

Laurence said the Israeli regime’s pattern of deadly attacks on Gaza hospitals has pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse.

His remarks came after UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, said earlier that Gaza's hospitals have become a death trap.

He urged independent and credible investigations into hospital-related incidents in Gaza.

Gaza’s population has been reduced by 6 percent since the beginning of the Israeli regime’s campaign of genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory in 2023, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said.

According to the bureau’s report published on Tuesday, the Israeli offensive has left 45,541 Palestinians dead, 11,000 missing and believed to be under the rubble. At least 100,000 have also been forced to flee, the report said.

The report reveals that “90% of children aged 6 to 23 months and pregnant women” face severe nutritional deficiencies in Gaza.

The report also indicates the Israeli forces deliberately “target specific groups of the population, such as children and youth,” which leads to a significant “distortion … of the population.”

According to the bureau, this will greatly reduce the birth rate, and negatively affect the age and gender structure of the population during the years to come.

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