Demands of agitating guest teachers in Madhya Pradesh are unlikely to be met anytime soon as state Minister for School Education, Rao Uday Pratap Singh on Wednesday questioned the propriety of their insistence for regularisation."Why will there be regularisation? The name of guest teachers is 'guest'. If you come as a guest, will you take over the house?" Questioned Singh in response to a quey raised by media persons on demands made by the teachers.

Quick in his response to the statement, Congress state president Jitu Patwari said that the BJP leader must 'apologize' to the teachers.Over 8000 guest teachers in the state are agitating to press for a five-point charter of demands, including regularization of their services. They also demonstrated by taking out a Tiranga Yatra in Bhopal on September 10.

The demonstration was for six hours amid rain. The delegation of guest teachers also met Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap but the matter remains unresolved. On the question of regularization of guest teachers, the School Education Minister told the journalists—Where there is a gap,  there are less teachers, they are deployed there.

The delegation had come recently. We had a meeting. We are considering two-three points raised by them.Our effort will be that if a guest teacher is appointed, he should be made to work for the entire academic session. Protecting their interests is our top priority. When the department believes that guest teachers are important, they should not worry.

Despite the assurance, the minister stopped short of confirming anything and spoke of the stress the acceptance of such demands would lay on the state coffers, "If we recruit, then from where will we pay the salaries?" He asked. The school education minister said that the delegation said that last year there were 68000  teachers, this time it has reduced.

Such teachers were posted in schools where there are no children. We took the work of taking them to schools with surplus. Once rationalization was done, the shortage of 12000 to 13000 teachers was met. It is natural that where the shortage has been met, why will we recruit guest teachers there? If we recruit, then from where will we pay their salary?

He said that things have to be adjusted while taking various questions into account, he said while assuring teachers of the government's concern for their plight"In running the government and the department, financial management and just things have to be adjusted. Be it teachers, guest teachers...court cases are still pending, we are taking full action from the government's side to expedite them. We are fully concerned about teachers," said the minister.

Responding to the minister's pronouncements, Patwari questioned, "What does he mean by occupation by the guests?""You keep guest teachers under the system.

They provide services. You want to take services and later want to insult them. That too a minister, a representative of the government," said Patwari. "A minister's statement is the collective responsibility of the cabinet. I believe that the Education Minister should apologize." He added. Earlier on 10 September, more than 8000 guest teachers had protested in Bhopal to press for a five point charter of demands, I cluding regularisation of services. Guest teachers from all over the state participated in the demonstration under the banner of Guest Teachers Federation. The protest started at the Ambedkar Maidan in the state capital and proceeded with Tiranga Yatra to 'gherao' and went to surround the CM House, but the police the residence of the chief minister. Police intervention stopped the agitating teachers from reaching Shamla Hills.

Several guest teachers were injured in scuffles that ensure with police oersonnel. The agitating teachers later accused the state government of police brutality.Speaking after the agitation, State President of the Guest Teachers' Federation Sunil Singh Parihar told mediapersons, "Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said in the Guest Teacher Panchayat on September 2, 2023 that guest teachers would be regularized and given the same pay scale as Guruji. This promise has not been fulfilled till now. Our demand is that by conducting departmental exams, they should be regularized like Guruji."