The Karnataka government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against policemen who have decided to go on strike on 4 June. The Act ensures the delivery of essential services, which if obstructed, can affect normal life.
Alleging that they are subjected to human rights violations on a day-to-day basis, around 50,000 constables from the lower rungs of the Karnataka police force have applied for mass leave.
Organising under the banner of the Police Mahasangha, a large section of the state’s constabulary has applied for leave on 4 June, protesting severe disciplinary actions, wage inequality and long working hours.
It is rare for the police to protest, and since they are the “disciplinary unit” themselves, police are not allowed to stage a protest without the permission of higher authorities. They are liable to face immediate dismissal from the force if they do so, they say.
After repeated requests to the state government and lack of support from the courts, some police personnel approached V Sheshadri, president of Akhila Karnataka Police Maha Sangha (AKPMS).
They told me that all policemen should go on leave on the same day to pass a strong message to the government and they requested me to lead the movement, as there is no proper forum to fight for the rights of policemen.V Sheshadri, President, Akhila Karnataka Police Maha Sangha
He told the Deccan Chronicle that once he started working towards it, the protest gained support from thousands of policemen and various organisations.
Of 85,000 policemen in Karnataka, the 65,000 who are constables, face most harassment, he added.
Asked if they had received any threats after applying for leave, police personnel said they could not disclose the information.
Bengaluru police officers say they experience human rights violation on a daily basis.
A sub-inspector in Andhra Pradesh earns between Rs 45,000 and Rs 50,000 a month. A head constable of seniority in Karnataka earns only about Rs 30,000 - Rs 35,000 a month. There is a wage difference of Rs 10,000 – Rs 15,000 (30% to 40%) in the two states. In Karnataka, policemen are not given overtime wages for night-shifts or extra fieldwork.
As a consequence of low wages, police personnel find it difficult to acquire bank loans, they say. As they are not given medical benefits, they have to scrounge to juggle educational and medical expenses of their families, said one constable.
To top it off, cops start their day at 8 am and more often than not are only relieved after midnight – which is more than 15 hours of duty daily, while most central and state labour laws specify an eight-hour work day. The remaining few hours is all they have left for both sleep and interaction with their families. They consider themselves lucky if they get 2-3 days of approved leave every three months.
Most constables on the force – whether men or women – are married and have children.
Spending quality time with family, attending children’s parent-teacher meetings are “only dreams,” they say.
Sometimes the disconnect is such that the constables are not even aware of which classes their children are in and how they do in school. A majority of police personnel have turbulent marriages that often end in divorce.
One constable commented on the perception of cops:
People think policemen are crooks and corrupt, but only when you join the force do you understand their frustrations.
(Sahana Maddali is an author at The News Minute. This article has been published in collaboration with The News Minute. This copy has been edited for length.)
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