BJYM and ABVP march in support of PSC rank holders in Kerala, results in clashes with police

The march by members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Monday marched to the Kerala Government Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram in support of Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) rank holder's demands resulted in clashes with several youth sustaining injuries.

ABVP workers burned effigies of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers of the state. In the lathicharge by police, many workers of BJYM were injured. The Police used water cannons and tear gas against the Yuva Morcha activists. Many injured workers, some of whom were seen bleeding, were immediately rushed to the hospital. BJYM workers criticised the police action and alleged it was working hand-in-glove with the state government.

The march was in support of the PSC rank holder's demands to extend validity of the PSC rank lists. The march was also against the alleged backdoor appointment made by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in state government services. Praful Krishna BJYM President Kerala said, "PSC rank holders have said they are going on a hunger strike from tonight. The government is still not ready to have a discussion with them."

"BJYM stood by the rank holders right from the beginning of the protest. The state ministers will not be allowed to walk on the road if they disregard the demands of the rank holders," Krishna said. The BJYM leader said that Prashant Sivan, Yuva Morcha President, Palakkad was injured on the head. Meanwhile, various PSC rank holders are holding a sit-in protest outside the secretariat demanding that the validity of the Last Grade PSC (Public Service Commission) rank list published in 2017 be extended by six more months. The Youth Congress president Shafi Parambil and vice president K S Sabarinathan are also continuing their hunger strike outside the secretariat.