Accusing lt Governor Najeeb Jung of acting as a “puppet” of the Centre, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged he was not clearing the Delhi Government’s proposal to regularise 17,000 guest teachers in State-run schools at the behest of the BJP.
It may be noted that the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who also holds the education portfolio, had written to Jung raising the issue. Regularising guest teachers was one of the points mentioned in AAP’s election manifesto.
Demanding that Jung should clear the proposal “without any changes”, the party also accused the BJP of trying to implement “anti-people Gujarat model” by not regularising people on contract and not letting the l-G take any decision on the matter.
“The l-G is the Centre’s representative and does not take any decision without its consultation. The BJP-led Central Government is not interested in letting him clear the proposal. He is sitting on it since January and when we asked him about the delay in clearing the proposal, he responded saying he is taking an opinion from Solicitor General. “He should stop acting as a puppet of the Centre. The l-G has no right to delay the matter by raising legal queries as there is a Supreme Court order on this. We demand that the proposal be cleared without any changes,” Ashutosh said on Tuesday.
Sources in the l-G office said the Government had sent the proposal to the l-G office on April 28 and it has been sent to the Additional Solicitor General for legal advice after consultation with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Citing the Supreme Court order pertaining to contract workers between Umadevi Vs the State of Karnataka, Ashutosh said the experience should be considered while recruiting and the Government can give concession in this.
According to the proposal, guest teachers will be given priority while applying for permanent jobs. They will be also given priority on the basis of their experience, exams and age.
“The l-G is dilly-dallying the proposal on the pretext of giving weightage to experience even when it is not under his purview. This proves that the Centre is not keen to provide benefit to 17,000 families,” Ashutosh said.