Congress to submit charter of demands to Andaman Admin

Port Blair, Feb 18 (UNI) Andaman and Nicobar unit of the Congress has prepared a charter of demands on various developmental activities to be submitted to the Lt Governor, before launching mass agitation against the local administration.

''Our party will give 15 days' time and if no action is taken, we know what is to be done,'' Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Manoranjan Bhakta told UNI today, indicating the possibility of mass agitation.

Mr Bhakta said a few principal demands would be included in the memorandum like filling up all vacant posts of the administration, providing alternative lands to the farmers and solving the water crisis.

At present, hundreds of posts for teachers, junior engineers and lower grade clerks have fallen vacant in the state. However, due to unknown reasons these posts were held up.

''I have spoken to senior leaders of the Congress party in New Delhi and have decided to press our demands for the benefit of islanders,'' Mr Bhakta said.

Local unemployed youth of the tsunami-hit remote Andaman Islands have recently met senior political leaders of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC) and the Member of Parliament seeking support.

Due to lack of any major industry in this remote archipelago, around 80 per cent of the working people hold government posts.

Top official sources told UNI that the Member of Parliament had earlier decided to go on a hunger strike. However, later at a high level meeting of the ANTCC, it was decided the party will, instead, go for a mass agitation, if the administration does not take any action.

UNI