Disgruntled with rife unemployment rate in the country despite constitutional right to employment, youths have been staging a hunger strike in the Capital for the past four days.

A dozen youths began fast at Khulamanch on Wednesday under the leadership of former Valley In-charge of UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated Young Communist League Chandra Bahadur Thapa, who has since left the organisation. 

They, along with hundreds of supporters, have demanded that the government create employment opportunities for youths within the country.

Protesters said that more than 1,000 youths from across the country have signed the petition so far. The condition of those on hunger strike is worsening as some of them could be seen receiving medical attention along with saline drip. “Right to employment is listed as a fundamental right in the constitution itself, so the government needs to ensure this right,” said Sunil Kumar Chauhan, a protester from Kapilvastu. 

“The government should either concede that the country is devoid of resources or fulfil our demand for rightful employment,” he said, blaming the government for creating a situation of labour flight in the country.

The Article 33 of the constitution states that every citizen shall have the right to employment with provisions for unemployment benefits.

The protesting youths had submitted a six-point charter of demands to Prime Minister KP Oli on April 9. The demands included a state guarantee for employment as per one’s qualifications and provision of loans for self-employment at subsidised interest rates to the unemployed. The protesters have also demanded that the government issue identity cards for them to claim social security benefits.

“We had given a 15-day ultimatum to the government, but we have yet to hear anything from their side,” said Gyanendra Adhikari of Gulmi.