Won’t allow UT to repatriate teachers: Punjab minister

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 6

Taking a tough stand with regard to teachers on deputation from Punjab to the UT, Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema today said come what may, the state government would not allow the UT Administration to repatriate teachers back to the state.

He said, “I want to make it very clear to all concerned in the UT Administration that teachers had been sent on deputation to the UT against the Punjab quota of seats allocated under the laid-down formula. No one has given the right in the UT Administration to tamper with that laid-down formula,” said Cheema. 

“If anyone tries to violate the legal provision, the state government will lodge a strong protest and do whatever is legally and otherwise possible to defend the state’s right to send teachers and other employees on deputation to the UT,” he said. 

He said the UT cadre of teachers had been created illegally and it should be done away with immediately. The Government of India had issued letters in this regard from time to time from 1966. Earlier, Cheema had written to the UT Administration against the repatriation of three teachers to Punjab without informing the state government.

“These are policy matters related to the reorganisation of Punjab. These are highly sensitive issues. The UT has to implement the policy and decisions taken at the time of the reorganisation of Punjab and it has no mandate to take any policy decision on its own,” he said, adding that if any officer tried to overstep his authority and harm the interests of Punjab, the state would not be a silent spectator.