THE Left Democratic Youth Federation, a common platform of Left and democratic youth organisations in Kerala has launched a massive indefinite hunger strike in front of the State Secretariat building in Thiruvananthapuram, demanding the lifting of ban on recruitment and withdrawal of new tax hike. DYFI state secretary M Swaraj, AIYF state secretary K Rajan, Yuva Janata Dal state president Arun Chandi, National Youth Congress state general secretary Shenin Mandirad, Youth Front state president Jaison George, Youth Congress (S) president santosh Kala have started the indefinite hunger strike from September 14. The following are the main demands raised by the LDYF: • Lift the ban on recruitment • take immediate action to appoint those who were being served with advice memo of Kerala Public Service Commission • rollback the decision to cut down the posts in government services and hike the pension age • withdraw the decision to unilaterally impose a huge hike in various taxes. Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the indefinite hunger strike. CPI state secretary Panniyan Ravindran, Congress (S) president Ramachandran Kadannappally, Kerala Congress working chairman P C Thomas, CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram district secretary Kadakampalli Surendran, JDS leader Jameela Prakasham MLA, DYFI state president T V Rajesh, MLA also attended the inaugural function. AIYF state president G Krishna Prasad presided over the function. Thousands of people from all walks of life, mostly youth, are reaching the pandal where the youth leaders are staging the indefinite hunger strike. Representatives of various Rank Holders Associations from different districts have greeted the leaders. On October 16, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan visited the pandal and greeted the youth leaders. Photo 1: V S inaugurates the hunger strike Photo2: Pinarayi greets the youth leaders