In support of their five-point demands, the instructors working in the literacy mission took out a massive protest in the State capital on Monday. Under the banner of Uttarakhand Rajya Prerak Sangathan, hundreds of the instructors assembled at the agitation site. These instructors were entrusted with the task of literacy campaign and were employed at a remuneration of Rs 2,000 per month in six districts of Uttarakhand in the year 2010.
Addressing the agitators the President of the association Sandeep Kumar said 5500 instructors are working in the districts of Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Bageshwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat despite odds like paltry wages, pressure of village pradhans and political interference. He reminded that the Congress party in its election manifesto in 2012 had assured that all the instructors would be adjusted in the state services but nothing has happened. He threatened that the association would be forced to intensify its agitation if the state government fails to address their genuine grievances.
The association is demanding increase of stipend to Rs 15000, status of Government employees and adjustment of instructors in the vacant seats of education department. The instructors are also demanding that the State Government should ensure that all of them are registered in the Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) courses on the lines of Shiksha Mitras.
The instructors then headed for the secretariat march but the police stopped them near Kanak Chowk. The agitated instructors sat on a sit in near the secretariat. The Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to CM, Anand Bahuguna met the members of the association but failed to persuade them to call off their Dharna.
It is learnt that the agitators are adamant they would not leave the place till they get written assurance from the State Government. At the time of filing this report the instructors were camping near the secretariat.