In a significant development, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) employees and engineers in mumbai are intending to launch a strike. It revolves around two key issues: proposed changes to sections 332 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and "harassment" during investigations into alleged budget irregulation during the pandemic.
The BMC workers and engineers associations will go on strike from August 23 if the state government does not change its plan to amend sections 332 and 353 of the IPC and the investigation agencies do not stop 'harassing' them during investigations for pandemic expenditure irregularities.
Proposed Changes to IPC
The government's intention to change Sections 332 and 353 of the IPC has raised concerns among civic workers. They fear that the change might weaken the protection they currently have as government employees.
The amendment to Section 353 deals with assaults on public servants. It has been met with strong opposition from BMC workers. They emphasise that this change might have repercussions for their ability to perform their duties without fear.
It's worth noting that while Section 353 was under scrutiny, Section 332 (which prohibits intentionally causing harm to a public official to prevent them from performing their duties) has not been discussed in either legislative chamber. This has become a key point of contention for BMC employees and engineers, who view this section as a vital safeguard.
Harassment Allegations During Investigations
The BMC workers held a collective press conference. They alleged that engineers have faced harassment from various investigation authorities, including the Enforcement Directorate and the Special Investigation Team. This alleged mistreatment has impacted not only junior engineers but also senior authorities within the organisation.
Ramesh Deshmukh, representing the Municipal Engineers' Association, talked about the challenges faced by engineers during the pandemic. He stressed that the expenses incurred under the Epidemic Diseases Act were essential to saving lives. But the authorities' current efforts to scrutinise these expenses, down to the purchase of items like khichdi, have raised serious concerns within the BMC.
Recent Arrests
The BMC workers emphasise that their pandemic work was lauded by both the state government and the Supreme Court. Now, the investigation has dampened their morale.
Recently, many high-profile arrests were made. Kishori Pednekar, a former mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, senior IAS officer P Velrasu, and another city official for allegedly purchasing the body bags at higher prices during the pandemic.
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