Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 28 August 2021
Indefinite relay hunger strike was called by a section of candidates who had appeared for the interview of Civil Defence Volunteers at Campbell Bay from 10:00 Am on 28th August 2021. The candidates are continuing their protests overnight.
Earlier the candidates had approached the Assistant Commissioner, Campbell Bay to request him to cancel the recruitment and conduct a fresh recruitment process, but the Assistant Commissioner refused to meet them.
No one from the local administration spoke to the protesting candidates for the whole day. Speaking to Nicobar Times the candidates informed that they are ready to protest for as long as it takes for the administration to understand their mistake and they take steps to conduct fresh recruitment for the Civil Defence Volunteers.
The protesting candidates are alleging that five of the ten recruits for Civil Defence Volunteers at Campbell Bay are close associates of the staff of the Assistant Commissioner Office, Campbell Bay. The candidates along with members of the general public had earlier written a letter to the Assistant Commissioner requesting him to conduct fresh recruitment for Civil Defence Volunteers. They had also informed that they will resort to a relay hunger strike in case their demands are not met.
The general public of Campbell Bay is also surprised by the attitude of the local administration who have not even bothered to speak to the protesting candidates.
The protest of the candidates will continue overnight and the candidates will decide on intensifying their protests during the day tomorrow.
The candidates have also sought support from all major political parties and many of them have assured to take up the issue at the appropriate level.
During the day five girls sat on hunger strike while the other candidates were supporting them. Further, five more candidates will continue to sit on hunger strike for the night today.
Most of the protesters staying overnight are females.