THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOZHIKODE: With the special cabinet meeting on Monday deciding not to extend the validity of the last grade rank lists, the protesting rank holders have decided to intensify their agitation.
The rank holders, whose protest against the government apathy and backdoor appointments completed 19 days, on Monday resorted to newer protest modes while more joined them. They organised a kneel-down protest in front of the Secretariat, symbolically begging for a favourable decision from the government.
In Kozhikode, police resorted to a lathicharge and used water cannons to disperse Youth Congress activists who took out a collectorate march. As many as 11 party activists, including KPCC vice-president T Siddique, were injured in the lathicharge. Cases have been registered against 100 persons in connection with the protest.
Oppn parties extend support to protesters
The political secretary and private secretary of the chief minister, along with DYFI leaders, had held discussions with the rank holders last week but no consensus could be reached. The government had rejected the demand for posting from PSC rank lists in basic posts in which contract employees are working for more than six months.
The government’s stand is that contract employees are being regularised only in posts that are not handed over to PSC for recruitment. Interestingly, there are no special rules framed or recruitment handed over to PSC in most of these organisations where regularisations are being done.
Leaders of opposition parties on Monday visited the protesters and extended their support to them. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy and BJP leader P K Krishnadas were among those who visited them in front of the secretariat.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said the chief minister was showing enmity towards the protesters. It is disheartening that the cabinet meet did not even discuss the protester's demands.
The chief minister was taking a vengeful stand after the protesters did not heed to suggestions put forward by DYFI leaders. The Congress had never tried to politicise the protest and the protesters had different political affiliations, he said.