Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): S Valarmathi, secretary of the Action Council and convenor of the LPST rank holders' protest committee, said on Monday that she would resist any attempt to forcibly shift her to the hospital while continuing her hunger strike in front of the Secretariat here.

She is leading an indefinite hunger strike demanding that the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) make appointments to government schools from the Lower Primary School Teacher (LPST) rank list before it expires.

Valarmathi tonsured her head on October 26 and began the strike. On October 31, she was forcibly shifted to a hospital after doctors who examined her recommended immediate medical attention. The strike has now entered its 15th day.

Speaking to reporters, she urged the government to resolve the issue urgently and warned that it would be held responsible if the protest led to a loss of life.

"We will resist any attempt to shift us to hospital. The government should not use force to take us away. We are continuing the hunger strike not out of choice but because we want the government to take our demands seriously," she said.

The rank holders are demanding appointment orders for all eligible candidates on the LPST rank list before it expires, transfer of appointments to aided-school teaching posts to the PSC, an end to alleged cash-for-job practices in recruitment, and a teacher-student ratio of 1:25.

Talks between the protesters and the government failed, as the government said it could not accept all the demands, citing financial constraints.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.