The Colloectorate compound here on Monday witnessed tension for some time as Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) workers protesting against the government's decision to raise the retirement age confronted the pro-Congress NGO Association members celebrating the decision.
The DYFI workers marched to the Collectorate by noon and barged into the compound by pushing through the police barricade. They then staged a sit-in shouting slogans against the decision to raise the retirement age. Tension broke out when a group of government employees associated with the Pro-Congress NGO Association burst firecrackers inside the compound to greet the decision. The irate DYFI workers who were being arrested and removed by the police confronted the NGO Association members. The police intervened and removed members of the rival groups engaged in fisticuffs.
DYFI leaders A.N. Shamseer, P.K. Shabareesh Kumar, Binoy Kuryan, O.K.
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Vineesh, K. Ganeshan, and P. Divya led the protest.
Chaos in Kasaragod
Staff Reporter writes from Kasaragod: The Collectorate premises here witnessed chaotic scenes on Monday as employees supporting the ruling United Democratic Front and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists got into an altercation over the raising of the retirement age of government employees to 56.
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The DYFI activists barged into the Collectorate building and shouted slogans against the budget proposal to enhance the retirement age. The protesters locked the chambers of District Collector V.N. Jithendran and Additional District Magistrate H. Dinesh before staging a sit-in inside the building complex.
However, tensions ran high as members of a pro-UDF employees' association entered the Collectorate premises. This led to the altercation, and the skeletal number of police present had a tough time dispersing the two groups.
The DYFI workers, led by its district unit secretary, Siji Mathew, were arrested before they were evicted from the premises.