In an order which is being seen as an arm twisting tactics by the state government to express its anguish on the recent strike by teachers, the education department has asked the Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh (RSS), the association of teachers of Inter colleges and high schools of State, to hold the pending organizational elections soon.
The education department sources confirmed that the Secondary education director C S Gwal has handed over a letter to the leaders of RSS in which he has asked to ensure that the pending organizational elections are held soon. Though top leaders of teachers’ organisation are shying from commenting on the order of education director, anger is brewing up in the organisation on the issue.
The teachers are citing the order of director as uncalled for and say that he is not authorized to dictate his terms for the elections. The District President of Chamoli KK Dimri said that to hold the election is the internal matter of the organisation and the order clearly highlights the high headed attitude of the government.
The two year term of the working committee of the RSS ended on August 31 this year. The process of organizational elections starts with the election of delegates. According to the guidelines one delegate is chosen from among 10 teachers of a school and if the school is having more than ten teachers but less than 20 then two delegates are selected. These delegates then elect the block, district and state working committee.
The division within the ranks of RSS became apparent when some leaders questioned the propriety of Sardar Singh Chauhan continuing as the General Secretary of the organisation even after his retirement. The divisions again came into fore in the organization with more than 35000 members with many office bearers questioning the timing of giving the strike call and then calling it off without getting desired results. The RSS started its agitation on the occasion of Teachers’ day on September 5 and called off the strike on September 25.