Teachers protest outside DEO office

Tribune News Service

Barnala, February 21

Government teachers under the banner of the Adhyapak Sangharash Committee stage a protest outside the office of the District Education Officer (DEO) (Elementary) here on Thursday. They also raised slogans against the authorities and announced to boycott the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ project.

Teachers said the lathichage on peaceful protesting teachers in Patiala would cost the Congress dear in the coming Lok Sabha elections. They said the DEO (Elementary) had been “harassing” the teachers who had boycotted ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ project.

The protesting teachers alleged that despite working for many years at meagre salaries, the Punjab Government had refused to regularise their services on the full scale without any valid reasons.

They said the government was being misguided by some officers who were anti-teacher and had a history of targeting teachers without any reason.

“Many schools do not have adequate teachers. Despite that, the authorities have assigned duties to many teachers in the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ project, which has not contribution in the education system. We have started protesting against the project and for our other demands. We will intensify our agitation in the coming days,” said Palwinder Thikriwal, a union leader.

After lifting their protest in the evening, the teachers also took out a protest march towards the house of local Congress leader Kewal Singh Dhillon.

“Today (Thursday), we have concluded our protest after handing over a warning letter to the staff of Kewal Singh Dhillon. We will intensify our agitation in the coming days,” said Thikriwal.