Kerala Students Union protest over PSC rank list issue turns violent

A protest march by theKerala Students Union (KSU) to the statesecretariat here,expressing solidarity with some PSC rank holders demandingrevival of an expired rank list turned violent on Thursdaywith the police resorting to lathicharge to disperse theagitators.

KSU, thestudents wing of theCongress marched towardsthe police barricades erected in front of the secretariat gateand attempted to break through it.

Later a group of activists, including women attempted toclimb the fence of the administrative complex, but was stoppedby the police.

The protesters hurled stones, flag poles, chairs andwater cans at the policemen deployed inside the complex.

Control Room Assistant Commissioner Sadan said half-a-dozen of policemen got injured in the attack.

As clashes broke out, police resorted to lathi chargeinjuring a few KSU congress workers, including itsstatepresident K M Abhijith.

KSU organised the march to express solidarity with asection of Public Service Commission (PSC) rank holders whohave been protesting infront of the secretariat since January,demanding revival of an expired rank list.

The Congress workers have also been protesting againstthe state government over alleged back-door appointments madein several departments through regularisation of service ofmany contractual employees, who have been working for over 10years.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out atthe protesters for attacking the police and described it as a''pre-planned'' one.

''The police response was natural. Their (police)colleague was surroundedby the protesters and was brutallyattacked when he fell down. But still they showed a lot ofrestraint.'' ''The aim of the protesters was to take away the attentionof people from all welfare and developmental activities of thestate government,'' Vijayan claimed during an online event.

Noting that his government has been launching variousdevelopmental activities for the welfare of people, he allegedthat there was a conspiracy to overshadow these achievements.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader OommenChandy, who visited the protesting Youth Congress activists,said the government should respond to the youngstersprotesting against the cancelled rank lists.

''The LDF government has cancelled 147 rank lists. Why isthis government fooling the jobless youngsters?'' he asked.

''The protesting youngsters are supposed to get a job bynow. The chief minister should answer why the rank list wascancelled,'' Chandy said.