Teachers’ unions reject Rs 20L compensation

Teachers’ unions in Moga and across the state have opposed the move of the state government of giving Rs 20 lakh compensation to the family of two couple teachers who died on election duty, terming the amount “inadequate and cruel joke”.Jaskaran Singh Bhullar and his wife Kamaljit Kaur lost their lives on December 14 when their car fell into a canal near Moga due to dense fog while Bhullar was travelling to drop his wife for election duty.The couple is survived by two minor children.

The state government has given them financial aid of Rs 10 lakh each.

Teachers’ organisations said the compensation announced by the government was grossly insufficient to secure the future of the orphaned children. They demanded compensation of ₹2 crore each for the children, full funding for their education and a government job for them when they attain adulthood.

The unions alleged that the tragedy was the result of administrative apathy by the district administration and the State Election Commission. They added that despite repeated demands to assign duties locally, teachers, particularly women, were posted at distant polling stations without proper accommodation or safety arrangements, forcing them to travel in hazardous conditions amid fog warnings. They pointed out that on the same day, a woman teacher in Sangrur district was seriously injured while travelling for election duty and is still under treatment.

Teachers’ bodies have threatened to hold protests across Punjab and intensifying their agitation through physical meetings and statewide action if their demands were not met.