Punjab: At Least 18 People Including Police Personnel Injured At Teachers' Protest

Contractual teachers in Punjab who were recruited in the government schools under central education schemes like the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) have been protesting against the state government’s regularisation policy of over 8000 school teachers.

Why are the teachers protesting?

According to The Times Of India, the protesting teachers, who were faced with water cannons and lathi-charge on February 10, have now decided to boycott the state’s Padho Punjab Padhaao Punjab project and the teachers have claimed that the boycott will continue until the government regularises the teachers. Reportedly, after the teachers’ protest in Patiala, the teachers have been assured a meeting with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on February 28.

The teachers have been protesting against the terms of conditions for regularisation which have been imposed on them. One of the conditions entails that the teachers who are already drawing salaries up to Rs 45,000 per month will now have to settle at a basic income amount of Rs 15,000 per month for three years to get regularised. While the protestors have called off the sit-in protest, they claim that the agitation will be intensified if the meeting with the CM does not reap any results.

18 people injured

On February 10, as the teachers were marching towards Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s residence, at least 18 people were left injured as the police resorted to lathi-charge, reported The Indian Express. Reportedly, a police superintendent and five other police officials were among those who were left injured. The cops used water cannons in a bid to disperse the crowd who were allegedly trying to gherao CM’s residence. According to The Tribune, the next day, police booked at least 50 teachers including 10 union leaders of the Adhyapak Sangarsh Committee for clashing with the police officials.

Reportedly, state chief minister urged the protesting teachers to shun the path of agitation and show some patience. He said that the state government is determined to find an amicable solution to the demands. He further stated that despite the financial crunch experienced by the state, the government is trying to resolve the teacher’s woes.

However, refuting such claims, The Tribune reported Davinder Punia, co-convener, Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha as saying, “In the past, the CM did not meet us even after promising it many a time. Therefore, we have decided to continue our stir until the meeting materialises.”

This is not the first time that the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers are protesting against this norm as scuffles between the protesting teachers and the law enforcement authorities have broken out in Punjab earlier too.

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