Bengaluru protests: Three-day ban on assembly of people

Bengaluru: In the wake of violent protests by garment workers, the Karnataka Police on Tuesday night issued prohibitory orders prohibiting assembly of over 10 people across Bengaluru for three days from Wednesday.

The prohibitory order in this regard came into force from midnight in the entire city to maintain peace and to prevent any untoward incident.

Thousands of garment workers, mostly women, staged protests against curbs on withdrawal of provident fund (PF) before attaining the age of 58 years, especially the amount contributed by the employer with government interest.

"We have taken about 120 people into custody for indulging in arson and violence, attacking our personnel deployed for protection of agitators and damaging public property, including state-run buses and our vehicles," city police commissioner NS Megharikh told reporters here.

According to police estimates, a record one lakh workforce from other factories and firms across the city assembled at Bommanahalli industrial area in the south and Peenya industrial area in the north to demonstrate against the PF withdrawal norms.

Notably, under fire from political opponents and bowing to pressure from trade unions, including from RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the government on Tuesday withdrew its new rules of provident fund withdrawal.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday said the employees, whenever they want, can withdraw employer's contribution of 12 percent.

(With Agency inputs)