In support of the growing clamor to reinstate the guest teachers immediately, former education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani initiated a 48 hour fast on Monday. The Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat also visited the site where Naithani and guest teachers are holding the fast.
On Monday afternoon, Naithani started his Raj Bhawan march from the protest site; he was accompanied by large number of guest teachers and Congress MlA, Ganesh Godiyal. The police however prevented the march near Kanak Chowk, where the former Minister sat on a 48 hour long fast. later in the day, addressing the agitators, the former CM, Rawat said that it is unfortunate that the decision of an elected government is now being reversed.
The former CM said that he had appealed the Governor of Uttarakhand to convene an all party meeting on the matter. Rawat regretted that a deliberate environment is being created so that a conflict of interests among lecturers, lTs and Guest teachers is created. He said that the process of appointments for guest teachers was initiated after a through thought process in which it was decided that there are more than 8000 posts of teachers which are vacant and would remain so even after the process of new appointments and promotions, so a decision to appoint 6214 guest teachers on a monthly stipend of Rs 15000 was taken. The former CM said that he takes proud in the fact that there is not even a single school in the state which is without the services of a teacher. He said that model school concept of his government is being appreciated by the people.
Sitting at the site of fast, Naithani told The Pioneer that he would continue to fight for the cause of Guest teachers. “The Congress government had made a proper plan so that interests of all teachers both serving and guest are safeguarded. We would have reinstated these 6214 guest teachers on April 01 as the cabinet order clearly mentions that they would be reappointed,’’ he said.
Meanwhile the protests of guest teachers continued at the protest site on Monday. The association of guest teachers which is spearheading the agitation has given a call of secretariat march on Tuesday in which large number of guest teachers appointed last year are expected to participate.