"Hypocrisy, double standards:" BJP National Secy K Surendran slams UDF govt over LPST Rank Holders' Protest

BJP National Secretary K Surendran on Thursday criticised the UDF government led by VD Satheesan over its handling of the LPST protest. Referring to the Jantar Mantar protest, Surendran accused Congress of allegedly indulging in double standards by allegedly ignoring the Kerala government's action against the youth in the state.

BJP National Secretary K Surendran on Thursday criticised the UDF government led by VD Satheesan over its handling of the LPST protest. Referring to the Jantar Mantar protest, Surendran accused Congress of allegedly indulging in double standards by allegedly ignoring the Kerala government's action against the youth in the state. Speaking to ANI, Surendran questioned Rahul Gandhi for his alleged silence over the ongoing protest in Keralam.

"VD Satheesan staged a drama at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, pretending to stand with the youth. But what are they doing in Kerala? They are using the police to suppress young people, dismantling their protest tents and attacking protesters... This is hypocrisy and double standards. When VD Satheesan was the Leader of the Opposition, he visited the protest site and promised to resolve the issue. Now the government is taking action against the protesting youth... I want to ask Rahul Gandhi why he is silent. The LDF and UDF share the same attitude..." said Surendran. The  LPST rankholders initially erupted over prolonged delays in securing appointments from the Kerala Public Service Commission rank list, but the protest has since snowballed into a wider conflict concerning teacher recruitment, teacher-student ratios, and the mechanisms used to compute, report and fill teaching vacancies across the state.

The tensions erupted when Cantonment police dismantled the protesters' shed and flex boards, triggering outrage from opposition parties in the state. However, Kerala Education Minister N Samsudheen emphasised that the police did their duty because the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court have also issued directions on the occupation of public places by protesters.

"The police did their duty because our Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court have also given some directions in this regard... There are some suspicious circumstances and a political agenda here in Kerala. Both the leftists and the BJP are supporting this strike. The people of Kerala know the facts and reality..." Samsudheen told ANI. (ANI)