A significant demonstration by hundreds of job seekers, demanding that the State government address long-pending employment vacancies, caused widespread disruption and effectively brought life in Dharwad to a halt for several hours on Thursday.
The students, united under the banner of the All Karnataka State Students Association, took over the vital Jubilee Circle intersection, creating a blockade that took police nearly four hours to clear and restore normal city operations.
Starting their march from Sri Nagar, the protesters moved along College Road before converging on Jubilee Circle, where they firmly held their ground for hours, making their grievances loudly heard.
Their passionate chants and slogans directly targeted the State government, accusing it of neglecting its duty to fill vacant positions across various departments, leaving many qualified individuals without opportunities.
Given the sheer number of demonstrators, traffic authorities were compelled to reroute vehicles at crucial junctions. Despite these efforts, vehicular movement throughout the city was severely impacted, and public transport services faced significant delays as the protesters maintained their hold on the intersection, allowing passage only for ambulances.
Kanth Kumar, the State President of the All Karnataka State Students Association, addressed the assembled job aspirants, articulating the severe challenges faced by those diligently preparing for competitive exams due to the government’s protracted recruitment processes.
Other speakers echoed his concerns, specifically highlighting that recruitment for constable and sub-inspector roles has been stalled for over four years, while crucial FDA and SDA positions have remained vacant for more than seven years.
They emphasized that these extensive delays have gravely affected many aspirants, pushing them past the upper age limit for eligibility. Consequently, they urged the State government to implement a minimum age relaxation of five years to accommodate those unfairly impacted.
Despite efforts by Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar to de-escalate the situation and deter the protesters from advancing towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the demonstrators were resolute and determined to continue their protest.
The determined group eventually marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where they formally submitted a memorandum outlining their demands. In anticipation of this movement, police had already established extensive security arrangements along the march route and around the Deputy Commissioner’s premises.