Karnataka's home guards grow desperate as salaries remain unpaid

The Karnataka police have been in the spotlight over the issue of mistreatment and low salary of lower ranking officers. Now another issue has surfaced, to add to the misery. The 3000 home guards of the state have not been paid their salaries for the past four months. 

 

While the Karnataka Police Department instantly deputed 11,000 home guards across to the state on June 4 when police constables announced a mass protest leave, the repeated pleas of the guards their for salary has fallen on deaf ears.

 

The home guards get a monthly salary of ₹9000 to ₹12,000 depending on the seniority. However, the guards attached to Bengaluru Urban and Rural have not been paid their salaries since March this year. 

 

 

With no money, many are now forced to pawn their jewellery. In some cases, they are being threatened with eviction from their homes by their landlords.

 

"I have a 6-year-old daughter and to pay her school fees I had to pawn my gold earrings," said Nagarathna Raju, a home guard attached to Central District told Asianet Newsable.

 

Mahendra Babu, another home guard, attached to Bengaluru Central District, said that he has been asked to vacate the house by his landlord as he has not had the money to pay his rent. 

 

 

"I am aged and cannot look for another job, I depend on this service. If the home department can pay the senior officials on time, why cannot they pay to us who work from 12 hours daily," questioned Babu.

 

The home guards also have approached the higher officials with their plea requesting for their salaries. 

 

“The wage issue has come to my notice. There is a technical problem in one of the treasury, and it will be addressed. I have communicated to the concerned department to release the money for payment from other treasury. The home guards will be paid soon," DG and IGP Karnataka, Om Prakash said.