Protest against wrong policies.

The decision of the Kerala Finance Minister, K M Mani to hike the pension age of government employees and teachers is more an indicator of political egoism and one-upmanship of the Kerala Congress(M) rather than of common sense. It is no secret that the Kerala Government is in need of funds to improve its functioning and to ensure the payment of pension benefits to retiring staff. But the government has no money. So the government implemented hike in retirement age and continuously trying to justify it. Nevertheless, this action has jeopardised the aspirations of many educated youths. It seems that the Kerala Congress (M) wants the government staff to walk on crutches to their office because of old-age ailments. .

It is evident that Minister Mani and his colleagues in the ministry including chief minister Oommen Chandy have no proper knowledge of the job opportunity at hand. Mani and Chandy know only that their sons and daughters are well placed and they do not seem to understand plight 4.3 million unemployed youths in the State. It is absurd to think that government has created enough job opportunities in the entry cadre to cater the need of youths.

Fiscal mismanagement by Mani would ruin the State as the proposed development work is based on the withheld pension benefit of the retiring staff. The unemployed youths are left with no alternative other than to protest strongly against the wrong policies of the government.

K A Solaman