Inquiry against teachers for ‘inciting protests’ stirs row

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 19

The start of an inquiry against two government schoolteachers here for the alleged offence of inciting protests against the state government has stirred up a controversy.

On the directions of state project director, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), the district education officer at Faridkot has started a probe against Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi, a primary schoolteacher and district president of Democratic Teachers’ Front, and Gagan Pawa, district president, RMSA Teachers’ Union.

It has been alleged that the inquiry against the teachers has been started on the demand of the Faridkot police.

After increasing incidents of theft in Sadiq town of Faridkot and the police failing to solve these cases, a public protest was organised against the police at Sadiq some days back.

It has been alleged that two government school teachers also participated in the protest and incited the people to organise the protest dharna.

Sukhi of Sadiq town claimed that like other residents of the town, he took part in the public protest against the police.

Amandeep Singh, SHO, Sadiq, denied he had complained against any individual after the dharna. “But the language of the two teachers in their speeches was derogatory and targeted the police. We don’t expect a government employee to use such language against his government,” said the SHO.

The teachers said the inquiry was an attempt to gag them and it is tantamount to the “misuse and misapplication of the sedition law”.

“Besides being government employees, we are common citizens. We face problems like everyone else. So, we have the right to protest,” said Sukhi.