CJP leader joins LPST rank holders' hunger strike in Thiruvananthapuram
Cockroach Janta Party activists joined a 12-hour protest demanding government school appointments for teacher rank holders.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) South India in-charge Vijay Reddy Mallangi joined a 12-hour hunger strike on Thursday in front of the Keralam Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. According to the Hindustan Times, the protest was organised by Lower Primary School Teacher (LPST) rank holders seeking appointments to government schools.
Mallangi and other CJP activists participated in the demonstration. Mallangi alleged that the government has failed to meet a promise made by Chief Minister V D Satheesan to resolve the LPST issue within 24 hours of the UDF government taking power.
The rank holders are seeking appointment orders for all eligible candidates before the current list expires. They are also demanding that aided-school teaching appointments be transferred to the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC), an end to alleged cash-for-job practices, and a teacher-student ratio of 1:25.
Valarmathi, who leads the Action Council and represents the LPST rank holders, has been on hunger strike for one week. She tonsured her head on October 26 as part of the protest.
While Education Minister P Samsudheen held discussions with the protesters, the talks did not resolve the matter. Chief Minister Satheesan stated on Wednesday that the government cannot meet the demand for a lower teacher-student ratio due to financial constraints.