Hundreds of guest teachers courted arrest when the police thwarted their plans to march towards the residence of State Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Friday. These teachers started the march from the protest site near parade ground amid shouting of slogans. Keeping in mind the big numbers of guest teachers and past experience, the district administration had deployed a large contingent of policemen near Kanak Chowk.
The march was stopped at Kanak Chowk, where the agitated teachers squatted and engaged in vehement slogan shouting against the government. Speaking on the occasion, the President of the association of Government school guest teachers, Vivek Yadav claimed that in a recent dialogue, the Chief Minister had assured them that the proposal of converting the guest teachers into ad-hoc teachers would be brought before the state cabinet. He said that despite the assurance no such proposal was brought in the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday due to which the agitated teachers are forced to intensify their agitation. The Patron of the association, Vijay Pokhariyal said that the formula proposed by the state government is unacceptable to the guest teachers and the government would be responsible if the agitated teachers adopt some extreme measure. Hundreds of guest teachers then courted arrest.
Meanwhile health of one of a female guest teacher, Priyanka sitting on a fast at protest site, deteriorated on Friday following which she was rushed to the hospital.
The guest teachers are demanding that the State Government should appoint them as Ad- hoc teachers in the Government schools of the State.