Members of the Gajapati Utkal CT Primary Teachers’ Federation have been on a hunger strike since December 26 in front of the District Education Office protesting against the alleged arbitrary attitude of the District Education Officer (DEO) and the Gumma Block Education Officer (BEO).
Federation president M Ravi Kumar alleged that with a malafide intention the Gumma BEO with consent of the DEO has stopped payment the salary of 70 teachers. The federation warned that unless their three-point charter of demands is fullfiled, they would not withdraw their hunger strike. A teacher, lakhmi Chandra Das, alleged that the teachers raising voice of protest in a democratic manner have been suspended from their jobs.
Kumar said the district administration and the DEO are behaving as if they are dictators.
Meanwhile, a medical team checked the health conditions of the teachers and said the agitators’ conditions are gradually deteriorating.
Among others, federation general secretary Deva Raj Jena was present.