Youth burns Lalu's effigy in Asom

Guwahati, June 11 (UNI) The effigy of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad was burnt by activists of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) here today, alleging that the Railways were depriving local unemployed youths.

AJYCP president Pratul Dutta and general secretary Manoj Baruah alleged that 10 per cent posts were not reserved for local youth in the recent appointment in Railway security forces.

They said, ''If the appointments are not cancelled, no one from outside the region will be allowed to join duty here.'' The youth organisation alleged that a strong Hindi-lobby was active in the Railways, who deprived the local people of North East from employment opportunities even in the lower grades.

Mr Dutta said this attempt to deprive the region was being fuelled by a false campaign that the Railways lost money in the region.

Depriving local youth in the Railways had been attempted earlier also but the AJYCP would not tolerate it any further, he added.

''Such deprivation of rights over own resources had led to armed struggles in the region and the power-hungry politicians at the Centre did nothing to deal with the matter seriously,'' he said.

UNI