The Punjab and Haryana high court was told on Wednesday that the condition of the lone ETT wannabe, who has been atop a mobile tower in Sector 3 since November 3, is deteriorating.
The amicus curiae and Chandigarh police told the court that the protester Deepak Kumar has not had his food since Monday and his health is deteriorating. “He appears not be in the right frame of mind,” the amicus curiae told the court.
The second person Rakesh Kumar, who had climbed the tower with Deepak Kumar, had come down on Tuesday, a day after he was offered an appointment letter. Rakesh appeared before the high court and participated in the hearing.
To a question from court as to how he justified the mode of protest, Rakesh said that their protest was better than that of those who harm the public property. “We were sitting quietly on the tower. We did not disturb anybody,” Rakesh told the court in a fumbling voice.
Rakesh further said that he was not left with any other option. “I completed by education in 2008 and was looking for a job since then. Government changed the criterion to be eligible for these posts, which I possessed now. After eight years, they (government) advertised ETT posts, but were dillydallying on appointments,” he said to a question from the court who had asked what he will teach his students now as he had got the job.
{{/usCountry}}Rakesh further said that he was not left with any other option. “I completed by education in 2008 and was looking for a job since then. Government changed the criterion to be eligible for these posts, which I possessed now. After eight years, they (government) advertised ETT posts, but were dillydallying on appointments,” he said to a question from the court who had asked what he will teach his students now as he had got the job.
{{/usCountry}}The court also asked him whether he knew that union leaders (of ETTs) had used those protesting on tower. However, he did not respond to this question.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government told the court that another waiting list of 768 persons eligible for appointment as ETTs from different categories would be put online either on Wednesday or Thursday. The government has assured the court that it was working expeditiously to complete the appointment of eligible ETTs against the 6,500 posts advertised. So far, over 5,500 persons have been offered appointment letters. As many as 333 persons were offered letters on Monday. Deepak Kumar belongs to backward class category and hopefully, his name is expected to be there in the fresh list. However, list will be drawn up as per law, the government told the court.
Later the amicus curiae intervened and pleaded that Rakesh had alighted on Tuesday only and was not in a stable condition. The matter has been posted for further hearing on Friday.