Toyota Kirloskar Motor employees' union calls off strike at Bidadi factory

News Network

March 3, 2021

In relief to Toyota Kirloskar Motor, employees' union calls off strike at plant

Bengaluru, Mar 3: The Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) employees' union has officially called off the ongoing labour strike at its factory in Karnataka's Bidadi, the company confirmed on Tuesday.

A majority of members from a total of 3,350 employees had already voluntarily resumed work earlier.
"The labour strike that has been continuing has now officially come to an end today. TKM is very grateful to the government of Karnataka and the Department of Labour, who have played a crucial role in facilitating the reconciliation between all parties," said TKM in an official statement.

Furthermore, on March 1, TKM has accepted the undertaking given by Union leaders on behalf of the members that was presented by them to the government. The company has also made a final appeal to all the other members to return to work by March 5, and ensure synergies based on mutual trust for the future and to respect the terms of their mutual understanding.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor had declared a lock-out at its manufacturing plant in Karnataka's Bidadi after workers' union resorted to an "illegal" sit-in strike at the premises to protest against the suspension of a worker, a company spokesperson said earlier.

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Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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