Teachers up in arms against govt, take out rally on bikes

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 11

Members of the Joint Teachers’ Morcha took out a protest march on bikes against the state government here on Wednesday.

They demanded that the government should do away with the development tax. Besides, their other demands were regularisation of teachers’ services, revival of the old pension scheme and installment of outstanding DA arrears. They also alleged corruption in transfers of teachers.

The march started from Teacher’s Home and after passing through the grain market, Mall Road, Sirki Bazaar, 100 Feet Road, Bibi Wala Road, it concluded at Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s office near the Multipurpose Sports stadium. The protesters also gheraoed the Finance Minister’s office.

Members of various organisations also joined the march and raised slogans against the state government.

Morcha convener Resham Singh said the state government was inviting them for meetings, but it was running away from its promises.

He said they were ready for a protest rally to be held in Patiala on July 15. He said all members of the morcha from across the state would reach the venue by ‘chota hathi’.

The protesters alleged in a bid to stop them from attending the Patiala rally, Education Minister OP Soni was threatening them to initiate a departmental inquiry against the teachers.

The protesters said on the one hand, the Finance Minister was imposing a development tax on residents claiming that the government did not have funds, but on the other it was spending a huge amount on purchasing new cars for MLAs.