Even as the Block Grant (BG) teachers’ strike reached the eighth day here, they threatened to intensify the stir and turn it into a State-wide agitation.
They also warned to ensure that the ruling-BJD is voted out of power in the 2019 general elections if their demands are not met.
The teachers expressed their disappointment over the continued silence of the Government on their grievances and said they had high hopes that the Chief Minister would listen to their demands after returning from New Delhi.
“We have been sitting on dharna for eight days braving the torrid humidity and rains, but the Government has turned blind towards our woes. We will not back down till our demands are fulfilled,” said an agitating teacher.
“All the BG schools are closed. We will talk to all college and university teachers in the State and close all those educational institutions from next week. Students will also join us from next week.
The ruling party will face the consequences in the 2019 elections,” said another teacher.
Meanwhile, the BJP extended its support to the teachers. Several senior party leaders like Sameer Dey Samir Mohanty and Sajjan Sharma met the agitating teachers at their dharna site at PMG Square and extended their party’s support to them and demanded that the State Government immediately fulfil their demands.
The BJP leaders said money is not a problem to meet the teachers’ demands, but the Government lacks sincerity to solve the impasse.
They suggested the money coming to the State exchequer from the IOCl Paradip Refinery be used to meet the teachers’ demands.
The teachers are on agitation on an 11–point charter of demands including abolition of the Block Grant system, equal salary for equal work and salary as per 7th Pay Commission recommendations, provision of full grant-in-aid and Government takeover of all aided schools.