Support pours in for agitating Grade IVqualified candidates
SHILLONG: The indefinite hunger strike of the Association of Qualified Candidates, Grade-IV-2011, East Khasi Hills, entered its third day on Thursday.
Paskha Lyngdoh Thabah, general secretary of the Association, informed that magistrates had come to meet them and to inform that another three names out of the remaining 20 candidates had been recommended for appointment on Wednesday.
The magistrates further informed the agitators that the proposal for extension of the validity of the merit list had been forwarded to the Personnel department and asked them to call off their agitation, Thabah informed, while adding that the hunger strike would continue till the Government agreed to extend the validity of the merit list.
Meanwhile, Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) member Angela Rangad on Thursday sought the intervention of the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) to preserve the ‘dignity and right’ of the 20 women Grade IV candidates who were still waiting for their appointment.
“It is really sad that the women candidates are still struggling for their appointment even after clearing the recruitment process conducted by the District Selection Committee,” Rangad stated in her letter to the Commission on Thursday.
She also pointed out the prevalence of political and backdoor appointments in various Government departments resulting in the qualified candidates being denied appointment.
“We have learnt of the various backdoor appointments through RTIs filed by these qualified candidates,” Rangad said.
She recalled the promised made by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma during the election campaign of creating one lakh jobs in the State, and wanted to know what had happened to that promise.
The Khasi Jaintia Labour Union (KJLU) on Thursday extended its support to the Association which has been on a hunger strike for the past three days.
KJLU president AP Sylliang, while informing that they had met the agitators on Thursday, urged the district administration and the heads of departments to issue appointment letters to them as recommended by the DSC.
Mentioning that the term of the DSC has been extended in other districts in the past, the KJLU president asked the government to ensure that none of the qualified candidates remain without a job.