108 Ambulance strike threat: Karnataka BJP warns against service disruption, demands immediate action

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka on Tuesday criticised the state government over the impending crisis involving staff of the 108 Arogya Kavacha free ambulance service, who have reportedly warned of mass resignations demanding revision of their salaries and changes to their daily duty schedules. He also criticised Health Minister U.T. Khader over repeated meetings being held with the ambulance service workers without any resolution in sight.

The Karnataka 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulance staff association set a 15-day deadline ending on September 22, warning of an indefinite service shutdown and mass resignations starting tonight if their pending salary revisions and service demands are unfulfilled.

Ashoka said the situation had raised concerns over the possibility of the 108 emergency ambulance service being completely disrupted across the state and questioned whether the lives of people had no value for the government.

“Is there no value for people’s lives?” Ashoka asked, accusing the government of negligence, and administrative failure.

He questioned Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the alleged failure to address the grievances of ambulance employees who work round the clock to provide emergency services.

“Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, can you not see the difficulties faced by ambulance employees who rush to serve people during emergencies, day and night, irrespective of rain or wind, while you make hollow speeches about public service?” Ashoka asked.

He also criticised Health Minister alleging that repeated meetings were being held in the name of finding a solution without resolving the employees’ concerns.

“Health Minister U.T. Khader, instead of holding meeting after meeting and giving excuses in the name of resolving the issue, when will justice be delivered to the employees?” Ashoka asked.

Ashoka further alleged that the government’s contractual dispute with GVK was affecting an essential emergency service used by the public.

He urged the government to stop what he described as “playing with the lives of poor people” and resolve the issue at the earliest.

He said bringing the situation to a stage where a basic life-saving service meant for poor people during emergencies could be disrupted was evidence of the alleged incompetence of the Congress government.

Ashoka demanded that the government immediately fulfil the “just demands” of the 108 ambulance employees and ensure that the emergency ambulance service continued without interruption.

He warned that failure to resolve the issue would lead to public resentment against the government.

“The government must immediately fulfil the legitimate demands of the 108 employees and ensure that the ambulance service continues without any disruption. Otherwise, the people of Karnataka will teach this insensitive government a fitting lesson,” Ashoka said.

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