Bangalore: Following stiff opposition from the BJP, the state government has decided to modify the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Bill (ESMA), 2013, which was passed in the Legislative Assembly recently. The bill was put on hold in the Council, since the Congress does not has the required majority to push it through.
The opposition BJP and JD(S) had suggested that the bill be modified before it is placed for approval in the Upper House. At a meeting with opposition leaders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had reportedly agreed to delete provisions pertaining to arrest without warrant of those involved in strikes.
The opposition has expressed concern over the penalty on those who instigate or incite any person to take part in a strike. The bill empowers the police to arrest government officials involved in a strike without a warrant.
“We demanded that the anomalies in the bill be removed. The government has promised to remove the anomalies. The power of arrest without warrant amounts to treating government employees like slaves. If the government refuses to drop the anomalies in the bill, we will defeat the bill in the Upper House”, said D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Opposition leader in the Upper House.
The BJP also objected to the incorporation of a penalty on those who instigate strikes. This provision may misused by the government to take revenge against its opponents, said Gowda.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said that the government has agreed to make modifications to the bill. He said that this was an old bill and was already in force in several BJP ruled states. In fact the previous BJP government had decided to bring the bill in the Assembly, Reddy told Deccan Chronicle.
It is only to ensure essential services that the government has brought the bill, he said adding that ESMA already exists in states like Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
