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ABKS withdraws hunger strike at Wenlock Hospital after Minister's visit

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ramesh Pandith)
February 18, 2011

Mangalore, February 18: The workers, who had embarked on an indefinite dharna under the aegis of Akhila Bharata Karmika Sangha (ABKS) on the premises of the Government Wenlock Hospital here, withdrew their hunger strike on Friday morning.

The development comes after State Minister for Medical Education S A Ramadas assured them to fulfil all the demands of protesters within a short period.

The minister, after inspecting Wenlock Hospital, directly went to the dharna spot and successfully convinced the protesters to withdraw their silent dharna after a brief conversation.

The members of ABKS had lunched the continuous silent dharna on last Tuesday to protest the move to charge labourers and APL card holders seeking treatment. On Thursday, the Chief Secretary of the ABKS Sudatta Jain and nine others had embarked on a hunger strike at the makeshift tent opposite the hospital's new building.

The main demands of the protesters include cancelling of medicine and bed fees, providing hot water for bath for pregnant and lady patients, controlling the misappropriation of funds sanctioned by the government, provision of 30 beds in Intensive Care Unit etc.

The minister assured the protesters that he will take appropriate measures to improve the conditions of the Government hospital and provide free treatment to workers.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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