PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The unemployed nursing graduates from across the State under the banner of Nursing Ekta Manch (NEM) attempted to march towards the chief minister’s residence on Monday to voice their unaddressed demands. However, police personnel blocked their march along the route and transported them back to the protest site at Ekta Vihar.
Importantly, the unemployed nursing graduates have been protesting since December 5. “As part of our demonstration, we tried to march towards the CM’s residence to highlight our unresolved issues, but police intervened by erecting barricades,” said one of the protestors. During this time, police and the agitators were engaged in heated arguments.
The agitators said that a number of issues had remained unresolved. “These include the need for transparency in the recruitment process for nursing officials and the immediate closure of the examination portals among others,” said the vice-president of NEM, Sarita Joshi.
“With no assurances having come from the authorities regarding our demands, we were left with no alternative but to march towards the CM’s residence. However, police personnel blocked our path with barricades. Not just this but the cops behaved inappropriately with us and transported us back to our protest site. This should not have happened,” she said.
“We will not take things lying sown. We are planning to approach the director general of police. Besides, our protest will continue until the authorities act on their demands,” she warned.
Notably, the nursing graduates have been protesting since December 5 for several key demands, including recruitment based on year-wise seniority for candidates who have completed their qualifying examinations. Other demands include the immediate closure of the examination portal and the recruitment of over 2,500 nursing positions each year in accordance with IPHS. Further, they are calling for special age relaxation for candidates who have exceeded the age limit due to prolonged delays and for priority to be given to candidates who are natives of Uttarakhand.
