The Manohar lal Khattar-led Haryana Government is set to face tough times as Sarv Jatiya Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat, a conglomerate of various khaps, on Monday served a one-week ultimatum to the State Government for accepting the demands of agitating guest teachers or face a Statewide stir.Aggravating problems for the State Government, the Khap Mahapanchayat, which met at Jind on Monday while extending its support to the agitating guest teachers, announced to lock down all Government schools in the state, if the Government fails to regularise their jobs by July 13.
The meeting which was attended by representatives of more than 80 khaps from across Haryana also decided to launch Statewide protest by blocking roads and railway tracks from July 14 onwards, if the demands of guest teachers are not met.More than 15000 guest teachers under the banner of Haryana Guest Teachers’ Association (HGTA) are holding protests from past few months to build pressure on BJP led Haryana Government to deliver on its poll promise of regularising their services.The guest teachers, who were issued termination letter by the State Government, are holding fast-unto-death since June 23 at Mahendergarh, the home district of Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma and have threatened to continue their agitation till their jobs are restored.
The State Government has come under fire from all corners for failing to resolve the issue of guest teachers since it came to the power in last October.While the state’s main opposition party, Indian National lok Dal (INlD) has demanded to hold a special session of State Assembly to discuss the demands of guest teachers, the Congress has lashed out at the ruling party for not keeping its poll promise of regularising the services of guest teachers in the state.Now, Mahapanchayat’s one week ultimatum over the issue is likely to spell trouble for the State Government, which has so far failed to take any major step to pacify the agitating guest teachers. “The State Government is setting a bad example by terminating guest teachers from jobs. The BJP should deliver on its poll promises by July 13 otherwise, we would launch a statewide protest,” said Sube Singh, a spokesperson of Sarv Jatiya Sarv Khap Mahapanchayat while talking to The Pioneer.
Alleging that the Manohar lal Khattar Government was going back on its election promises, Sube Singh said that the Mahapanchayat had decided to remind the Government of the promises they made before state assembly polls. Instead of giving jobs to the youth, the BJP Government has snatched the livelihood of thousands of teachers in the State, said he.If the State Government failed to act by July 13, all Government schools would be locked in the State on July 14. We have also decided to carry out a statewide protest by blocking the road and railway traffic, later, he added.Irked over the ‘non-committal’ attitude of Haryana Government towards their demands, the guest teachers are staying away from attending the schools and are also holding protests in front of houses of BJP MPs and MlAs. The HGTA has also constituted teams which are carrying out door to door campaign in Mahendragarh and distributing pamphlets apprizing people about the double face of BJP.
Talking to The Pioneer, Ajay lohan, a spokesperson of Haryana Guest Teachers Association (HGTA) said that the guest teachers will continue their protest against the State Government. Support is pouring in from various quarters and we are hopeful that the BJP will fulfill its election promise.In an attempt to resolve the issue, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma had visited PGIMS, Rohtak to inquire about the well being of guest teachers who are on fast unto death. During his meeting, he urged the guest teachers to end their protest and assured them their grievances would soon be redressed.
Haryana Government had last week approved recruitment policy of teachers of all categories in an attempt to offer relief to agitating guest teachers, albeit, the teachers continued their agitation terming the government’s decision as unfair and a mere eyewash.Notably, more than 15000 guest teachers were appointed by the then Congress Government in 2005 to tackle the shortage of staff in government schools.In 2014 also, the guest teachers sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar, where the then Haryana BJP chief Ram Bilas Sharma had promised that BJP would regularise their services after coming to power.
Demanding regularisation of their jobs, the guest teachers in Haryana had earlier threatened the State Government of going for ‘religion change’, if their demands are not met. They have also written letters with blood to President Pranab Mukerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to intervene in the matter.