Teacher on hunger strike removed by Sangrur police

Jonny Singla, a computer teacher, who had been on a fast-unto-death since December 22 outside the district administrative complex in Sangrur, was forcibly removed by the police on Thursday night and admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Sangrur District President of the Computer Adhyapak Union, Nardeep Sharma, stated that Singla continued his hunger strike even in the hospital.

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Sharma further explained that at around 11 pm on Thursday, a large group of policemen, both in civilian clothes and uniforms, arrived at the protest site, snatched the mobile phones of the protesting computer teachers, and later returned them. After taking Jonny Singla into custody, the police transported him in an ambulance to an undisclosed location, but it was later confirmed that he had been admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.

In response to Singla’s removal, another computer teacher, Ranjit Singh from Patiala, initiated his own fast-unto-death protest in Sangrur, demanding the acceptance and implementation of various issues, including the shifting of computer teachers from the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Education Society (PICTES) to the Education Department, Punjab, the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, and a revision of the dearness allowance (DA) from 2021.

Meanwhile, the ‘Computer Teachers Bhukh Hartal Sanghrash Committee’ continued its relay fast outside the district administrative complex, now in its 125th day. In protest against Singla’s removal, the teachers burned an effigy of the Punjab Government and raised slogans condemning the state’s stance.

The protesting teachers criticised the Punjab Government’s “indifferent attitude” towards their demands, despite the fact that these demands had already been accepted by the government.

Prominent leaders addressing the protesters included Paramveer Singh, leader of the computer teachers, Devi Dayal, district president of the Government Teachers Union, Faqir Singh Tibba of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, and Sukhwinder Gir, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF). All leaders warned the state government to either fulfill their demands or face a larger agitation.