Protest greets Education Minister

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 21

Education Minister OP Soni was greeted by a black-flag protest by activists of the Pendu Mazdoor Union (PMU) during his visit to the district today.

Activists of the Pendu Mazdoor Union showed black flags and raised slogans against the minister while protesting against the failure of the government in distributing school uniforms to students despite the winter chill, non-distribution of scholarship schemes among Dalit students and privatisation of education.

Vehicle gheraoed

Angered activists gheraoed the vehicle of the minister, insisting on meeting him but were prevented to do the same by the police. However, he met him later in the day.

Responding to questions of activists on why uniforms had not been given to school students despite the severe winter chill this year, Soni said, “due to previous discrepancies, the process had been delayed but the government was streamlining the process and the uniforms will be disbursed soon.”

Soni was talking to the media on the sidelines of an event organised by the Sophia Institute of Excellency at the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here.

Activists and leaders of the PMU confronted the minister aggressively while raising slogans against him. A teacher leader, Balwinder Kaur, from Dayalpur village, was manhandled at the hall by a male police official while trying to stop her from approaching the minister. The enraged women activists kept walking away from the police while continuing to raise slogans. Activist Kashmir Singh Ghugshore was caught and prevented from going near the minister by another policeman.

Asked why a male police official was allowed to manhandle a female teacher, ACP Dalbir Singh Buttar said: “We had ample female police personnel with us. Apprehending that someone might attack the minister, we had to prevent activists from reaching the minister.”

The minister said: “It’s a democracy and everyone has the right to protest. We are looking into their rightful demands.”

Meanwhile, speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, the minister said the state government had taken the decision to regularise the 5178 teachers who had been demanding regularisation for long.

Responding to queries on terminated teachers, Soni said: “We have sought their file and the issue will be resolved soon.”

The minister was accompanied by MLAs Sushil Kumar Rinku and Rajinder Beri and Mayor Jagdish Raj Raja. Others present on the occasion included pastor Ankur Narula, District Education Officer Ram Pal Saini, Deputy District Education Officer Gurpreet Kaur, DCP PBS Parmar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police PS Bhandall, Assistant Commissioner of Police DS Buttar and others.