T’PURAM/PALAKKAD: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran on Tuesday came down heavily on Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac and Industries Minister EP Jayarajan for belittling the PSC rank-holders who have been protesting in front of the Secretariat. The ministers’ reactions were cruel and offending to the job-seekers, Mullappally said.On Monday, two rank-holders had tried to immolate themselves. A woman, Laya, broke down in front of reporters at the venue, and the photos and video of the scene went viral.
Isaac on Tuesday termed the youths’ stir as “kerosene protest” and accused the Opposition of instigating them. Jayarajan said it was impossible to terminate temporary staffers and the government has decided to regularise them. Mullappally said the ministers will never understand the woes of the rank-holders who have been waiting for government jobs for long.
“Children of several CPM leaders have gone to capitalist countries to pursue higher education, which explains why they are unable to see the pain of the youths coming from economically weaker sections. Isaac should have never come out with such a deplorable statement,” he said. He also took a jibe at Jayarajan who had to step down from office due to nepotism at the start of the government’s tenure.
At a reception for his Aishwarya Kerala Yatra in Palakkad, Chennithala said, “Isaac is obsessed with power. That is why he is being sarcastic about the agitation.” “The statements that those who are agitating are part of a conspiracy and the Opposition is behind it do not befit a Communist minister. What is the difference between PM Narendra Modi and Isaac? The PM had called the farmers protesting on the Delhi border “andolan jeevi” (professional protester), which is similar to Isaac’s statement,” he said.