Davangere: C.S. Shadakshari, the State President of the Government Employees' Association, has issued a stern warning to the government, stating that all of Karnataka will be brought to a standstill if the National Pension System (NPS) is not scrapped and the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) is not reinstated.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 2nd State Executive Meeting of the All Karnataka NPS Employees' Association held at Kuvempu Kannada Bhavana on Sunday.

Key Highlights of the Protest Call:

Commitment to the Cause: "We have been protesting continuously, but there has been no response from the government. Therefore, we will definitely secure our rights in the coming days, even if it means calling for a Karnataka Bandh," he declared.

Strict Enforcement: He called upon district and taluk presidents to enter offices and unhesitatingly pull out any employees found working during the Bandh.

Do Not Fear Threats: Reassuring the employees, he said, "No one should fear that I might be arrested or suspended from work. I have seen many such threats in the past. I secured this government job based on my own merit; no one has the authority to remove me."

Economic Calculations: Shadakshari pointed out that OPS is still functional in states like Maharashtra and West Bengal, which have a larger workforce than Karnataka. He informed that the NPS committee has been notified that implementing OPS in Karnataka would result in an annual saving of at least ₹5,000 crore for the government. "The intensity of our protest should be such that the Intelligence Department must report to the Chief Minister that not a single government employee has turned up for work across the state." — C.S. Shadakshari