Hundreds of activists of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPI-M, on Thursday blocked the government secretariat here, in protest against the UDF government's move to raise the superannuation age of government employees by one year from the present 55 years.

Though government has not taken a decision to raise the pension age,the issue is being seriously considered at various levels. A cabinet sub-committee is also examining the issue.

Chief minister Oommen Chandy had stated earlier that the demand to raise the pension age was genuine, considering that people in Kerala have a long lifespan. But he had made it clear that government would take a final decision on the matter only after taking the youth of the state into confidence.

DYFI workers squatted on the four-gates of secretariat and also the lanes surrounding the secretariate complex from early morning, making it difficult for staff to enter their offices.

Later, a group of activists who obstructed the passage at Cantonment Police area gate were arrested and removed from the spot to enable government staff to enter the complex.

Inaugurating the agitation,CPI-M politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said UDF government headed by Oommen Chandy had failed to deliver anything to the people of the state.

'The state is moving towards anarchy', he said and blamed police for not recovering firearms used by two Italian naval guards to kill two Indian fishermen off the kerala coast on February 15.

He alleged the UDF government is functioning under pressure from various quarters and that caste and religious outfits are issuing directions to the government on many matters.