Kawardha (Chhattisgarh) [India], August 24 : Police recruitment aspirants continued their protest outside the residence of Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma in Kawardha on Monday, demanding the release of a second selection list and filling of vacant posts.
Around 200-300 aspirants from different districts have been protesting for the fourth consecutive day despite heavy rain. The protesters have put up tents outside the minister's residence, where they are cooking food and spending the night.
The aspirants claim that 1,940 posts remain vacant out of the 5,967 posts announced under the police recruitment drive. They allege that multiple selections of candidates in different districts and changes in the selection process have led to several posts remaining vacant.
The protesters said they have been waiting for the second list for months and demanded that the government fill all the vacant posts. They said the agitation will continue until their demand is addressed.
One aspirant Sumitra Netam said, "We demand that all the posts should be filled. There are 200 to 300 of us here, and today is the fourth consecutive day of our protest. We spoke to the minister, but he is delaying the matter in the name of the Cabinet. We are protesting in the rain, cooking and eating ourselves. We are facing a lot of problems. We will continue protesting until our demand is fulfilled."
Another aspirant, Neha, said, "We have been here for four days. The minister came to meet us yesterday but spoke about politics. We are not doing politics. Just fill the vacant posts, and we will leave. We are protesting in the rain, and women have to sleep here without proper arrangements. We have to ask our families for money and borrow money to protest here. The minister should listen to our demands."
Mahesh Kumar Markam who hails from Kondagaon said, "I have come here for the second list. 1,940 posts are remaining, and the list has still not been released. We have been made to wait for the last eight months. We are facing a lot of problems. We will not leave until the second list is released."
Aspirant Lekh Ram Sahu said he fell ill after spending the night at the protest site amid rain.
"Today is the fourth day. I slept outside the Home Minister's residence last night and fell ill because of the rain. I have taken medicine, but we are continuing our protest. I don't think the minister wants to listen to us," he said.
The aspirants have said they will continue their protest until the second selection list is released and the vacant posts are filled.