As the whole State is immersed in festive spirit a group of around 1,000 para-teachers staying in the camp jail at Jaipal Singh Stadium has chosen to stay away from friends and family. In the absence of basic amenities, the para teachers are reluctant to continue their protest for job regularization and will spend Diwali at the protest venue – the stadium.
The agitating teachers have met the department officials recently but the talks failed as the officials are not ready to accept the protesters demand irrespective of their frequent threats to bring the education system at halt in State where around 20,000 para teachers lend their service at different districts. After receiving support from JVM Supremo, Babulal Marandi on the matter all the protesters at stadium has also gained support from MlA Janki Yadav including Gomia MlA Jogendra Mahato on the eve of Diwali.
Staying away from their native places, several para teachers from various districts have congregated at Jaipal Singh Stadium and are on protest since October 20. “Even after peacefully conducting the strike, none of the Government officials have ever visited us to know our stance and to see the condition in which we are spending days. lack of proper sheds and even toilets posses a big hurdle particularly for women protesters. Even lighting arrangements and availability of water here is very frail. Yet, we are adamant and will continue the protest, no wonder whatever is the consequences,” said, president of Jharkhand para teachers Sangh, Sanjay Dubey.
All these teachers have been deputed on ad-hoc basis under the central government scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 2002. The pay scale at present of these para teachers is between ` 6,800 to ` 8,400 per month. The para teachers have been protesting from January 2016 for job regularisation. Protestors claim that large numbers of post of primary teachers are lying vacant in State but the State Government is not initiating the recruitment drive for these posts and have planned to conduct another examination in November.
In order to attract more and more number of people to support their demands in coming days, all the protesters unanimously added to go on hunger strike on the day of festival. “After conducting a cleanliness drive on Sunday morning all the agitating teachers will sit on hunger strike and finally in the evening will light the diyas at Jaipal Singh Stadium only,” added Dubey.
