Call for a rally for jobs, OU JAC chairman ends hunger strike, new one begins

Motilal Naik, chairman of the Osmania University Joint Action Committee, ended his indefinite strike on Tuesday and called for a rally for job vacancies and other demands of the unemployed.

Mr. Naik told media persons that his deteriorating health was the reason for calling off the strike. “I have been on strike for nine days without food and water, but I have not heard anything from this Prajapalana government. Not a single vacancy in the groups has been increased. My vital signs are not stable, so I am calling off the strike,” he said.

However, he said he would be part of the United Student Front and, with the support of opposition parties, would put pressure on the government to implement the promises made to the unemployed in its election manifesto from Wednesday.

According to Mr Naik, the demands are: “Postpone the current DSC and announce a huge District Selection Committee (DSC) with 25,000 vacancies and a selection ratio of 1:100 for Group 1. Increase the number of vacancies in Group 2 by 2,000 and in Group 3 by 3,000. Also, cancel GO 46.”

A few hours after Mr Naik ended his strike, Palakuri Ashok Kumar, a teacher at a privately run competitive examination academy, announced his indefinite strike in a video post.

Ashok Kumar hails from Nalgonda and contested the legislative council elections from Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates district last month. He is known by his nickname ‘Ashok Sir’ in the student community for his popular publications and study material for preparing for group exams.

Ashok Kumar criticised the government for failing to implement its promises to the unemployed, congratulated Mr Naik on his hunger strike and said he too supported the same demands.

Organisations like OU JAC, BJYM, ABVP, leaders of Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Bharatiya Janata Party, who expressed solidarity with the recent protests, and others have called for a siege of the Telangana Public Service Commission on July 4.

Shortly after posting his video, Mr Ashok Kumar was seen being dragged into a police SUV in front of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, Osmania University.