Jharkhand: Teachers sit on dharna over pending demands

Ranchi, Sep (IANS) While teachers across the country are being honoured on Teacher’s Day, thousands of teachers who are not receiving adequate or regular salary payments in Jharkhand took to the streets, staging a protest in front of the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi.

They are demanding the fulfilment of their long-pending issues under the leadership of the Vittarahit (unfunded) Shikshak Sangharsh Morcha Mahasangh.

The protesting teachers, both male and female, raised slogans accusing the state government of apathy and betrayal. Their two major demands are: immediate approval of the 75 pc grant-in-aid hike proposal in the state cabinet, and swift action on the letter sent by the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms, and Official Language to the Department of School Education and Literacy.

Raghunath Singh, General Secretary of the Mahasangh, said, “It is unfortunate that while the President, Governors, Prime Minister, and Chief Ministers are celebrating and honouring teachers, ‘unfunded’ teachers in Jharkhand are forced to sit on the streets. Our demands have been ignored for the past five years. The government is deceiving us and is seemingly plotting to shut down these institutions. We demand that the 75 pc grant-in-aid proposal be brought before the cabinet and that the teachers be granted the status of state employees.”

Arvind Singh, Secretary of the Vittarahit Shikshak Mandal, added, “Today, when the nation is celebrating Teacher’s Day, we are compelled to protest in front of the Raj Bhavan due to the government’s negligence. Our two key demands remain unfulfilled: approval of the grant-in-aid hike and recognition as state employees.”

He warned that the future of thousands of teachers working in ‘unfunded institutions’ remains uncertain due to the government’s indifferent policies.

Despite working with minimal resources, these teachers continue to educate. He concluded by saying that if the government does not act soon, the protest will intensify.

“Today’s protest is symbolic, but if ignored, we will launch an indefinite agitation,” he said.

--IANS

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