The para teachers’ strike that has virtually crippled the primary education system in the State for over one and a half months has now taken a political colour with the JMM, JVM, Congress and left parties openly coming out in support of the agitating teachers and disrupting the functioning of the House on the second consecutive day during the ongoing Winter Session of State Assembly.
While, the Assembly remained disrupted on the issue of Para Teachers throughout the day few representatives of the teachers’ association today came to the State Assembly and gave flowers to ruling party MLAs. They also met Ministers CP Singh, Randhir Kumar Singh and Amar Kumar Bauri at Vidhan Sabha but nothing concrete could come out after the talks.
Talking to media persons at the State Assembly on Wednesday para teachers association’s Sanjay Dubey said that they have received information about government’s offer for talks through newspapers only. He said that they want regularisation on the lines of Chhattisgarh and Bihar and unless the government invites them with a written letter for talks they will not end their long-drawn stir.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Hemant Soren said on Wednesday that the government has hijacked the House and not letting people’s voices heard. “The Constitutional institutions are being undermined and the government is using institutions for their political gains. The Opposition cannot remain a mute spectator in such situation.” said Soren.
JVM legislator Pradeep Yadav said that the government is stubborn enough to look at the sentiments of the people of the State. “Some officials have misguided the government. If they have little sensitivity they would have come out with an apology on the November 15 incident when unarmed teachers, pregnant women and journalists were subjected to brutal use of force by police. The government does not want to even think of the para teachers’ issues. It is delayeing several issues of people’s interest. No one is happy with the government. It is taking its last breath,” he said.
However, the legislators of ruling coalition said that the Opposition was fuelling para teachers’ issue just to gain political mileage. “The CM is sensitive towards the para teachers and he is taking all possible steps to end their strike. The Opposition is raising the issue just for political mileage. They have also run government in the State but they never thought about the betterment of para teachers. The Raghubar Das led government has taken many positive steps in last four years to solve the issues. We expect that the crisis will end soon,” said HRD Minister Neera Yadav.
BJP MLA Anant Ojha said that the Opposition was shying away from discussion on the burning issues and was trying to hijack it on para teachers’ issue. “When the House is in motion why are they not discussing the issues? We all want to get a solution to the problem but sloganeering and making ruckus in the House will not give us any fruits,” he said.
A delegation of Congress leaders led by CLP leader Alamgir Lam also met Governor Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday and handed over a memorandum seeking solution on para teachers’ and deteriorating law and order in the State. The delegation comprised former Union Minister SK Sahay, MLAs Sukhdeo Bhagat, Irfan Ansari, Geeta Koda among others.