GANGTOK, Dec 5 � All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed and Unemployed Association staged a rally here today in support of various demands like free and fair recruitment in government jobs, halt to service extensions, and salary hike for the C&D group, work-charged, muster roll and home guard employees.
Addressing the media, president of the Association Nawin Kiran Pradhan said �we have been continuously highlighting the issue of service extension of the retired employees. Extension is a crime against the unemployed youths as well as the younger employees�, he said. The extension policy is not only hampering the youths but also adding burden on the public exchequer.
Recently, a bizarre incident of marks altering during the selection procedure in the Health department had came to light. Nepotism and favouritism in the State is hampering the meritorious youths, alleged Pradhan.
He said that though the constitution has provided special provision to genuine Sikkimese, in reality there are large numbers of people who are snatching the right of the genuine Sikkimese by producing fake certificates.
The Association later submitted a memorandum to SDM East and DC East in which it served an ultimatum to solve the issues within December, failing which the Association will resume the agitation in January.
Opposition parties, NGOs and intellectual groups supported their cause. Former MP Nakul Das Rai, Pahalman Subba, convener of Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee Tseten Tashi Bhutia, President of BJP Sikkim Unit Padam Chettri, President SHRP AD Subba, and others supported the rally.
