Mangaluru, 19 August 2026: Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) Dakshina Kannada district committee staged a major protest at Rajaji Park in Mangaluru on Tuesday, demanding the implementation of various measures for the welfare and social security of workers.
Addressing the protest, BMS Dakshina Kannada district president Anil Kumar warned the government against taking workers' concerns lightly and said the organisation would intensify its agitation if their demands were not addressed.
“Workers have reached a stage where they need to unite and fight for their rights,” he said, adding that BMS would continue to lead campaigns for workers' welfare. Anil Kumar warned that if the government failed to act on the demands submitted by BMS, larger protests would be organised across Dakshina Kannada, including at the taluk level.
Demand for ₹30,000 minimum monthly wage
BMS State vice-president Satish Shetty said nearly 94% of India's workforce is employed in the unorganised sector and argued that poverty could not be eliminated without ensuring employment and social security for these workers.
He welcomed the Karnataka government's reported decision to raise the minimum monthly wage to ₹31,000, but urged the government not to withdraw or dilute the decision under pressure from business or other interest groups. BMS also demanded that a minimum monthly wage of ₹30,000 be fixed for workers across sectors throughout the country.
Higher ESI and PF limits sought
Organisation demanded that the income ceiling for Employees' State Insurance (ESI) benefits be increased from ₹21,000 to ₹42,000 a month. It also sought an increase in the wage ceiling for Provident Fund (PF) deductions from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000.
Among its other demands, BMS called for the minimum pension under EPS-95 to be increased to ₹7,500 along with dearness allowance. Organisation also sought regularisation, appropriate wages and pension benefits for ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and mid-day meal workers.
Related News | BMS to Hold Protest in Mangaluru on August 18 Over Workers’ Demands
Social security for unorganised workers
BMS demanded medical, educational and social security benefits for autorickshaw drivers, construction workers, beedi workers, rubber workers and street vendors. It also called for contract workers to be paid wages equivalent to those received by permanent employees performing similar work.
Organisation further urged the government to resolve the problems associated with red-stone quarrying and sand mining in Dakshina Kannada. BMS leaders Gopalakrishna, Rohitashwa, Jayaraj Salian, Vasanth Kumar Manihalla, Nalini Adyar, Uday Kumar B.C., Kumaranatha Shetty Kalmane, Bhagwan Das, Dharmaraj, Vishlesha, Geetha Devaraj, Leelakshi and Purandara Shetty were among those present.
Keywords
BMS Mangaluru protest, ₹30,000 minimum wage, Dakshina Kannada workers, Karnataka labour demands, ESI PF limit, unorganised workers, Citizen News Puttur