Fast unto death protest if NPS is not cancelled, warns NPS employees
Mangaluru, November 18: As the National Pension Scheme (NPS) is detrimental to the state government employees, they would conduct fast-unto-death protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru if the NPS is not cancelled, said NPS employees association general secretary Naganagouda.
Delivering a keynote address at the NPS employees district convention and the 12th executive committee meeting at the SCDCC auditorium here on Sunday, he said that the employees have come to the street due to NPS and have been fighting for abolishing the system. They were not fighting against the government, but for their right.
A retired government bill collector who served for 37 years was getting just Rs 685 monthly pension. But a 98 year old person who served as the primary school teacher for 40 years was getting Rs 22,000 pension. Why such anomaly? The state government should cancel the NPS system and reintroduce the old pension scheme to help the retired employees. They were trying to apprise the government of the need to reintroduce the old system. They have the confidence that the state government would consider their demand. If the government failed to respond to their problem, they would fight about it during the Belagavi Session, he said.
NPS is bogus scheme: Ivan D'Souza
MLC Ivan D'Souza said that the National Pension Scheme would not suit to the government employees as it was a bogus scheme. He would support the fight of the employees. It was the duty of the government to consider the fight. He would raise the issue in the next Session, he said.
MLC Ayanur Manjunath said that he would raise the issue in the Belagavi Session.
MLA Vedavyas Kamath also addressed the employees.
Before the conference, the NPS employees took out a protest march from the government employees Bhavan to SCDCC auditorium. Association district president Ibrahim presided over the programme, in which SCDCC president Dr MN Rajendra Kumar, Association state president Shantaram, Senior vice president Siddappa P, State vice president Chandrahas, KEBA Mangaluru Zonal president Manjappa, representatives of various organizations like Shivashankar Bhat, Swany Thavro, Vittal, Jagadeesh, Dileep Kumar, Hariprasad, H.S. Gurumurthy, Roopa, Adarsh, Prof. Rajashekar Hebbar and others were present.
When MLAs are getting pension, why not you? , asks Bhoje Gowda
In a democratic system, the people's representatives like MLAs, MLCs and MPs were getting the pension in the name of honorarium. But it was a serious question as to why the government employees who serve for most of their life, were not getting the pension? The government should introspect it's decision on forcing the government employees who have come to the street for their rights, said MLC Bhoje Gowda.
Right from the Supreme Court judges to elected representatives, their honorarium was being revised on regular basis. He would be with the government employees in their protest. He would arrange the meeting with the Chief Minister within 15 days, he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
