Thousands of teachers protest, 11 sit on fast unto death

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 7 

Denouncing the Punjab Cabinet decision to regularise the services of 8,886 teachers on Rs 15,000 monthly salary, thousands of teachers from across the state, under the banner of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha Punjab, held a massive protest here today. 

Teachers gathered near the Tripuri area at noon and then marched towards the Dukhniwaran Sahib Gurdwara where they were stopped by the heavy police force. The protesting teachers then staged a sit-in dharna near gurdwara.

Teachers also declared to continue the protest until their demands were met. Eleven teachers started fast unto to death near Dukhniwaran Sahib Gurdwara during the protest. Teachers were upset at the decision of reducing their salaries from Rs 42,800 to Rs 15,000 per month.

The government on Wednesday regularised the services of teachers employed under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RAMSA) and other schemes, but with a condition to substantially reduce their salaries.

Addressing the gathering, state convener of the morcha Davinder Punia said, “This government has made a mockery of teachers by reducing their salaries by 75 per cent. The Congress government is backtracking from its promise in the election manifesto to regularise the contractual staff on full pay scale.”

 Another state convener, Sukhwinder Singh Chahal said, “With this decision the state government has blatantly disregarded the natural justice of protecting last pay withdrawn. Most teachers have their family and kids to feed. We can’t survive on this meager salary of Rs 15, 000 per month.”