DYFI workers on Monday laid siege to the Secretariat and district collectorates in 13 districts as part of its state-wide agitation to protest of the price rise, corruption and ban on appointments in the state.
However, the functioning of the Secretariat was not affected as the ministers including the Chief Minister could enter the Secretariat through the Cantonment gate before 8 am when the protesters blocked the other three gates of Secretariat.
‘Cong Favours Corporates’
Inaugurating the Secretariat siege organised by DYFI, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the Congress party’s thrust is for protecting the interests of corporate giants and neglecting the plight of the common man.
Pinarayi Vijayan said both the central and state governments were following policies jeopardising the job prospects of the youths.
He said that the Central Government was curtailing the number of posts in its establishments. Institutions like Indian Railways were engaging contract workers in a large scale instead of appointments on a permanent basis. Lakhs of youths are denied of opportunities in sectors like insurance and banking besides Central government institutions, he said. Vijayan alleged that an undeclared ban on appointments was there in the state. ‘’The PSC may be publishing ranklists. But very few appointments are made from these lists,’’ he alleged. Youths who find relief in seeing their name figure in the ranklists are soon frustrated as they do not get appointed even if the validity of the lists are over. When these aggrieved youths raise complaints and make appeals, the government extends the validity of lists. This practice has been going on for the last couple of years, he said.
He alleged that the State Government was violating norms while making appointments to important posts like vice-chancellors of universities. Only those closely linked with ruling party leaders were getting appointed to the important posts. The government should realise its folly and correct its ways, he said.
He asked DYFI workers to involve all youths to put pressure on the government in this regard.
On rising prices, he said that an unprecedented situation was prevailing in the state with prices skyrocketing. He alleged that Public Distribution System (PDS) had come to a grinding halt ever since the UDF Government came to power.
‘’The Civil Supplies Corporation and Consumerfed are facing unprecedented crisis. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who take pride in the mass contact programme should realise that most of the complaints he received in the programme related to converting the APL cards into BPL cards’’ Vijayan pointed out. Alleging that the Central Government was to blame for turning India into one of the most corrupt nations, Vijayan said that corruption has become the very hallmark of the Central Government. The Prime Minister himself had become epicentre of corruption whether it be the coal scam or 2G scam, he said.
Traffic Hit
Due to the Secretariat dharna, vehicular traffic was partially affected till noon. Police diverted the traffic through Bakery junction and Vazhuthacaud to avoid traffic snarl.