Former Education Minister, Mantri Prasad Naithani, who could not address guest teacher issue since March 2012 but sat on hunger strike as he had lost his chair due President rule, ended his 48 hour long fast in support of reinstatement of Guest teachers on Wednesday.
Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat offered a glass of juice to Naithani to break his fast. The Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) leader was sitting on a fast near State secretariat for last two days. Speaking on the occasion, Rawat said that it is unfortunate that the decisions of an elected Government are being reversed. He said that many anti-people decisions are now being taken.
Naithani started his fast as a measure of solidarity with the association of guest teachers who were appointed during his tenure as education minister. He had vowed to undertake the fast in front of Rajbhawan but the police did not allowed him to proceed beyond the Kanak Chowk on Monday. The PDF leader then decided to undertake a 48 hour long fast at Kanak Chowk itself. Speaking to the media persons after breaking his fast, Naithaini said that the appointment of guest teachers was done in a proper manner after a decision of state cabinet. Naithani said that the people in all parts of the state are not happy in the way the guest teachers were removed from the schools. He claimed that the since the guest teachers were fully qualified, young and local candidates they handled the task given to them in an appreciable manner due to which vast improvement in academic environment of schools was observed and not reinstating them was wrong decision.