THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which recently backed the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s campaign against the chief election commissioner at the Centre, has now joined an agitation against the Congress-led UDF government in Keralam.
The Gen Z-led party on Thursday extended support to the protesting Lower Primary School Teacher (LPST) rank holders, who have been demanding appointments to government schools.
CJP South India in-charge Vijay Reddy Mallangi joined the LPST rankholders’ 12-hour hunger strike in front of the secretariat on Thursday.
A few other CJP activists also took part in the protest.
Speaking to reporters, Mallangi said Chief Minister V D Satheesan had promised to resolve the grievances of LPST rank holders within 24 hours of the UDF government assuming office.
“The protesters have remained very peaceful and very hopeful that he will live up to his word. But close to six months have passed since the chief minister was sworn in, and the issue remains unresolved,” he said.
Alleging irregularities and corruption in teacher recruitment in government and aided schools, the CJP leader demanded a uniform recruitment process through the Public Service Commission (PSC) for all schools. Valarmathi S, secretary of the Action Council and convenor of the LPST rank holders, has been on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the secretariat.
She had tonsured her head on October 26 before beginning the protest, demanding appointments from the PSC rank list for LPST posts before its expiry.
The rank holders are seeking appointment orders for all eligible candidates on the list, bringing aided-school teacher appointments under the PSC, an end to alleged cash-for-job practices in recruitment and a reduction in the teacher-student ratio to 1:25.
Though Education Minister N Samsudheen held talks with the protesters, the discussions failed to break the deadlock.
The chief minister had on Wednesday said the government could not accept the demand for a lower teacher-student ratio because of financial constraints.
He also said his eyes had filled with tears when he saw a woman protester tonsure her head as part of the agitation.
