Bengaluru: Even as the police constabulary’s June 4 Mass Leave protest has been billed off as a failure, the rebellion that never took place has brought a qualitative change in the lives of several constables.
Believe it or not, thousands of constables who were working as orderly/ housekeepers/ domestic help at the residences of their higher ups have been asked to return to the place they belong to.
A constable who was posted as a orderly at a top female cop’s residence in Bengaluru, on conditions anonymity said that his happiness knows not limits.
“I have been at her residence doing household chores over the last one year. I am happy to go to the place where I would love to be,” he says adding that shockingly as many as 31 constables were on orderly at the same female cop’s residence. While some left, some have stayed back.
Meanwhile, yet another constable who did not wish to be quoted said that the higher officials are not at fault always.
“You know, we the constables too give in because we feel orderly is an opportunity to please the higher ups and get close to them. There are so many constables who opt for the orderly only because of the possibility of eking out personal favours,” he said adding that sensing greater trouble, most of the higher ups have reportedly asked the personnel on orderly to go back to their original postings!
Only one demand met
As usual, the state government seems to be in no mood to fulfill most of demands put forth by police constabulary.
It has agreed to fulfill only one out of the 31 demands put forth by the constables and evidently by choosing to put in place a better weekly off system for the constables, the government has opted to tread the easiest path because bringing in effective leave availing system means just fine tuning what is already in existence.
According to home department sources, the prime demand of the police constabulary that is the implementation of seventh pay scale recommendations is likely to be shelved as of now because implementing the same means another jolt of Rs 5,000 crores to the state exchequer.
But, state government is likely to allocate Rs 2,000 crore budgetary allocations for police welfare and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to make some announcements soon.
As per sources, another 13 demands may get government nod soon, but that again will get the green signal only after a special meeting of police department top brasses and the Ministry is convened. Though the government had promised the constables to convene the meeting nothing much has been worked out in this regard.
Medical allowance, special rest rooms for women staff, over time duty allowance,grocery allowance, additional police quarters, abolition of orderly and others are in consideration, a higher official said adding that nothing officially has been communicated so far.
The constabulary protest issue is likely to rock the assembly floors on July 4.
