Bengaluru police resorted to tear gas shells on Tuesday as garment workers from major factories continued their protest against Provident Fund (PF) rules by blocking roads for the second day in a row. Garment workers blocked parts of Hosur and Iblur roads on Tuesday morning.
However, protesters pelted stones at passing vehicles, forcing the police to lob tear gas shells at the workers. Some workers were being picked up by the police. By noon, the workers had shifted their protest to the factory premises, several of which are located in Bommanahalli.
Policemen were injured and 20 people have been arrested.
On Monday, workers had staged an impromptu protest, saying that they did not know that the rules for withdrawing PF had been changed.
The Bommanahalli area was blocked for around six hours as protesters staged demonstrations. Police had resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the workers and had even used tear gas shells.
The government had notified the rules in February. The workers are protesting against the central government’s decision to set new norms for people who wish to withdraw the full amount from their provident fund accounts. After April 30, people would only be able to withdraw their contribution and the interest accrued on it, but not the employers’ contribution.
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The protest is having a ripple effect on traffic in the city. The Twitter handle of the Bengaluru city police provided updates on traffic movement.
On Monday, garment workers in Gejjalagere in Mandya district too protested the government’s changed rules.
(Read: Why thousands of garment factory workers blocked a major Bengaluru road)
In the neighbouring Ramnagara district, garment workers of Madhura garments near Basavanapura village blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway protesting against lathicahrge in Bengaluru on Monday.
Vehicular traffic for around 2km was held up because of the protest.
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