Second round of talks with CS fail: Protest continues
Mohammed Sajid & Narayan Reddy
Port Blair, Jan 10: Just one day before the maiden visit of President of India to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Union Territory Administration is facing massive protest from unemployed youths, who are demanding 100 percent reservation in all government jobs.
The President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee will be on three day visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands from tomorrow.
Group of unemployed youths who were sitting on Hunger Strike on Tiranga Park since last five days, demanding 100 percent job reservation for Islanders in A & N Islands on 9th January came out on road and blocked one of the prominent Junctions of Port Blair city, the Goal Ghar Junction.
The protest is continuing even today and the youths are planning to continue the protest even during visit of the President of India, which will certainly be very embarrassing for the local Administration, headed by Lt. Governor of A & N Islands, Lt. Gen (Retd.) A K Singh.
Since yesterday two rounds of talk with the Chief Secretary of A & N Islands have failed as during the first meeting the Chief Secretary was allegedly impolite with the delegation of unemployed youths while in second meeting despite verbal assurances to fulfill all demands, the Chief Secretary did not give any written assurance.
“During the meeting the Chief Secretary agreed to give 95 percent reservation to Islanders in all government jobs in future. He has also agreed to stop online advertisement of local government jobs and age relaxation. The Chief Secretary also agreed to accept unemployed nurses demand but as nothing was given to us in written we have decided to continue the protest,” Michael one of the leaders of agitating youths told Andaman Sheekha today this evening.
Earlier this noon the District Commissioner of South Andaman, Mr. P Jawahar had visited the protest site with Tehsilder Port Blair, Mr. Casper James and Superintendent of Police, South Andaman, Mr. Chinmoy Biswal and requested a fifteen member delegation of unemployed youths to meet the Chief Secretary for dialogues.
The Auto- Union of Andaman and Nicobar Islands had also joined the agitation this morning, putting the Administration further under pressure.
