Thiruvananthapuram: As households in the state readied Thiru Onam lunch on Wednesday, there were those holding up empty plaintain leaves, on which the traditional meal is served, as a mark of protest. There were also those who sat in front of the state secretariat, a site where protestors gather perennially, with the empty plaintain leaves laid out before them. More than a thousand people belonging to various organisations sat in protest and observed a day-long fast.
Leading the protestors was the Public Services Commission Rank Holders' Association, the organisation of those whose names figure in the rank list of the Public Service Commission (PSC), but are yet to get their dream government job. The rank holders demand that the retirement age of state government employees not be raised above the present 56. They also want all vacancies to be filled from the present rank list, and that government officials take steps to report all vacancies to the state PSC.
"Most of those who came today to the different protests are women. This government has promised much but delivered little. Our demands to fill vacancies in government departments had gone unheard. We are sitting here foregoing the Thiru Onam lunch, which is something that affects even our children," said a group of women who are upset that they do not have a government job despite being listed by the PSC as selected for jobs.
A group of cooks who prepare midday meals at government schools had gathered outside the secretariat demanding the Rs.1,000 festival allowance that all temporary government staff have received. The Kerala State Electricity Board Contract Employees too sat in protest, demanding Onam bonus. The Confederation of Sree Narayana Guru Organisation gathered at the site to protest the contents of a book that allegedly showed social reformer Sree Narayana Guru in poor light.
The state secretariat has become a popular protest venue. On holidays, especially, protesters gather here to garner the attention of authorities.
Comments
0 comment