Kerala LPST Rank Holders to Intensify Protest, Vow to Shave Heads and Fast Unto Death

Thiruvananthapuram: LPST rank holders protesting in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram against what they describe as government betrayal have decided to intensify their agitation. The protest committee announced that the candidates would shave their heads and go on a fast unto death.

The candidates decided to escalate the protest after the government failed to honour its assurances. Their agitation in front of the Secretariat has now entered its 110th day. They had also organised a protest camp over the past four days. However, after failing to secure a meeting with the Chief Minister to present their demands, the candidates decided to continue the agitation.

The protest is against the government's denial of rightful appointments to candidates on the rank list and its promotion of appointments involving bribes.

S Vaalarmathi, convener of the LPST Rank Holders Protest Committee, said the situation had reached a point where candidates had to fast until they approached the brink of death to obtain justice. She said they had no option left other than an indefinite hunger strike.

“We never thought the government would deceive us like this. We have tried to meet the Chief Minister, but it has not happened so far. The government initially gave assurances, but now the minister speaks in terms of a transaction. The way the government says appointments can be granted only if we withdraw the protest makes it sound as though we are being offered charity,” she said.

Vaalarmathi added that the government had made several promises to resolve their problems when it was in the Opposition. The candidates said they remained firm in their decision to fast until death.

The protesters are demanding appointments for eligible candidates on the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) rank list, the transfer of aided-school appointments to the PSC, an end to appointments involving bribes, and other measures.

On October 13, the 100th day of the protest, the candidates formed a human chain and surrounded the Legislative Assembly.

Two academic years have passed without appointments being made from the rank list. No appointments have been made in two districts. They had earlier staged a 37-day protest and a 13-day hunger strike demanding that eligible candidates be appointed and that the necessary vacancies be identified and filled.

The government had sought 45 days to examine the demands raised by the candidates. Talks resumed after 51 days, but the government accepted only some of their demands and rejected a key request to revise the teacher-student ratio to 1:25. The candidates subsequently decided to intensify their agitation.