THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 34 days long indefinite protest as well as the seven days long hunger strike by the PSC Last Grade Servants rank holders has been called off. This comes after the representatives of LGS rank holders held talks with law minister A K Balan at Secretariat which saw him agreeing to regularize the working hours of night watchmen to 8 hours.
This way, more appointments can be made from the existing LGS rank list. However, the Civil Police Officers PSC rank holders will be continuing their indefinite protest.
The conciliatory talks which lasted for more than an hour saw the law minister taking a softer stand towards the demands of the LGS rank holders.
From day one when the protestors started their indefinite protest in front of the Secretariat from January 26, their demand was that night watchman's working hours should be regularized to eight hours.
They had alleged that in certain departments, night watchmen were working for 20 hours and more which had hampered their prospects.
After the talks, K K Riju, one of the protesters, K K Sanooja’s husband, who also attended the meeting told reporters that the minister has promised them to seek the Election Commission of India’s permission to ensure that their demands are met and complied.
“The law minister has also promised to ensure that appointments will be made from the existing LGS rank list. This has been one of our long standing demands. We are thankful to all the political parties and youth organizations, the media and the general public for rallying behind us”, said Riju.
When the protestors reached their protest venue before the Secretariat after the talks, the rest of their colleagues hugged them and expressed their relief in ending the more than a month-long protest.
Laya Rajesh, one of the LGS rank holders, told the media that the law minister has assured to release the minutes of the meeting within a few hours.
“Once we receive the minutes of the meeting, we will call off our protest. There is no words for us to convey our gratitude to the State Government, Opposition, Youth Congress leaders and other student organizations and even the general public who used to show thumbs up at us from passing vehicles”, Laya Rajesh who has been the face of the LGS rank holders protest, told the The New Indian Express
Meanwhile, the CPO rank holders have decided to continue their protest. They have informed that on Wednesday, former High Court Judge, B Kemal Pasha will inaugurate their protest convention.
The three Youth Congress State vice presidents, N S Nusoor, Rijil Makkutty and Riyas Mukkoli have called off their indefinite hunger strike following the LGS rank holders deciding to end their protest.