Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 13 : Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad extended his support to protesting Panchayat Sahayaks and said he organised a candlelight march to highlight their demands, including a salary hike, state employee status and maternity leave. 
Azad on Saturday said the march was aimed at drawing attention to what he described as the government’s neglect of Panchayat Sahayaks, who have been protesting for the past six days. 
“We have organised a candlelight march to dispel the darkness this government has cast over the lives of Panchayat Sahayaks. Our sole objective is to highlight that Panchayat Sahayaks have been struggling for their demands for the past six days, and these demands are legitimate,” Azad said. 
He said the demands raised by the Panchayat Sahayaks were significant and urged the state government to initiate dialogue with them. 
“All their demands are significant and must be met—whether it is the demand for a salary hike, state employee status, or maternity leave. We demand that the Minister for the Panchayat Department engage with them,” he said.
Questioning the government’s handling of the protest, Azad said it was concerning that the authorities had not addressed the demands of the Panchayat Sahayaks 
“It is concerning how the government is ignoring them. The government must answer for this. I stand in solidarity with these people,” the MP said.
Meanwhile, candidates involved in the 68,500 teacher recruitment process staged a protest near the residence of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya in Lucknow on Saturday, seeking implementation of an order of the State Commission for Backward Classes and justice for OBC candidates.
The protesters, carrying banners and raising slogans, demanded revision of the recruitment results and appointments of eligible candidates. They alleged that the issue involved irregularities in reservation during the 2018 recruitment process.
“We have come today to present our case to the Chief Minister. Regarding the reservation scam in the recruitment of 68,500 teachers, the State Commission for Backward Classes had issued a clear directive to revise the results and grant appointments to the candidates; however, the process has not yet been completed,” one of the protesters told ANI.
The protesters sought a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to present their demands. However, police personnel deployed near his residence stopped them from proceeding further and subsequently moved them from the area in a bus.
The candidates said they would approach ministers, officials and other political leaders if their demands were not addressed.