With assembly elections around the corner, the protest of PSC job seekers in front of the secretariat is ongoing. With the participation of youth organisations in the protests, CPM leaders have taken the stand that the protests are politically motivated. The intensity of the protests further increased when the government took the decision to regularise the temporary government staff. Adding fuel to fire, the harsh words of Laya, a last grade rank holder, who lased out at Jaik C Thomas for terming the protests of PSC job seekers as ‘politically motivated,’ has become viral on social media.

Under the DYFI’s initiative, the protestors were called for a compromise talk but as it failed organisations including Youth Congress has intensified the protests declaring their open support with PSC job seekers. As part of this, Youth Congress activists have started a hunger strike. In a news channel discussion, Jaik has pointed out the joint protests of the protestors and youth organisations of the opposition parties. Responding to Jaik’s allegations, Laya replied that she and others have visited him multiple times in the past two years airing their grievances over the rank list and whether he can explain the steps taken by him for the job seekers. Meanwhile, Jaik who conceded to Laya’s claim that they have visited him also added that the job seekers demand was the extension of the rank list, to which Laya retaliated that it was not their only demand and they have informed him about the slow pace of appointment from the lists.

Following this, Jaik said the complaint of the slow pace of appointment was during the period of V S Achuthanandan government’s time. He also alleged low rate of appointment is due to upscaling the minimum qualification for last grades from seventh standard to 10 standard during the previous UDF’s government’s regime. Jaik also said that without understanding this fact, job seekers have intensified their protest with the help of opposition parties. On which Laya lashed out at the DYFI leader, that for the job seekers most important thing is having the job deserving to them and it doesn’t matter whether it was given during the LDF or UDF’s regime.