Shocked and dejected over the Punjab Government’s “offer” to 8886 contractual teachers’ in lieu of their long pending demand for regularising their jobs, the teachers’ unions and associations have decided to launch a stir against the government from October 7.
Hours after the decision was made public, the teachers come out on streets to burn Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s effigy in Sangrur.
The association has threatened to go on a chain hunger strike against the Government’s “unfair” decision to regularise their service after cutting salaries by over 35 percent, in the CM’s hometown, Patiala, from October 7.
The state’s SSA/RMSA Teachers’ Association president Didar Singh Mudki said that this was “gross injustice” and they would fight for their rights. They demanded that the Government should immediately revoke their “dictatorial” decisions in the next Cabinet meeting and fulfil their “legitimate and just demands” which primarily includes payment of full pay and facilities along with regularising them in the State Education Department.
A protesting teacher said that these 8886 teachers have been serving in different schools in the state since past 10 years. “But today, the Punjab Government took a dictatorial decision to regularise our services at Rs 15,000 by imposing a drastic cut in our salaries. Majority of teachers would commit suicide after facing a financial crisis from this decision,” he said.
At the same time, the teaching fraternity has also sought the support and cooperation of all sections of society against the Government’s such policies.