Bathinda, January 5
Making sure that the sangat darshan by the Chief Minister of Punjab, held in the city today, met with no roadblocks, the police showed alacrity and arrested as many as 60 teachers, all members of the Unaided Teachers of Aided Schools Front, Punjab, who were assembling near the Government Rajindra College here today to participate in a state-level demonstration planned by the union.
"We got the information that the teachers were getting together to stage a protest in the city and block traffic. Working on the tip-off, we went to the spot and rounded up the teachers. We let them off at around 4 pm after they assured us that they would not assemble and block traffic or stage a protest in the city," said DSP Gurmit Singh Kingra.
Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Jagnam Singh, a member of the union, claimed that the union had planned the protest before the news of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal holding a sangat darshan in the city, was announced.
"Abiding by our plan to launch a state-level protest against the government, the members of the union were reaching the city when suddenly police personnel came and arrested us and took us away. One of the policemen also slapped our district president Gurpreet Singh," he stated.
He also argued that the police action was uncalled for since the teachers hadn't even started their protest. "The police told us that instead of assembling in the city and staging a protest, the union should have resorted to sending a deputation of teachers to meet the CM at his sangat darshan. But when we asked the police to let us do so, they didn't listen to us," he added.
Explaining the demands of the union, Singh stated that the government should regularise the temporary staff of the aided schools and also resume offering scholarship and uniforms to the students of these schools.
Elaborating on the union's plan of action, Singh said, "Taking cognisance of the treatment meted out to us today, we have planned to stage a protest at places where the CM, the Deputy CM or the Member of Parliament will hold sangat darshans."
Meanwhile, a deputation of the Punjab Aided School Teacher & Other Employees Union, Bathinda, met the CM during his sangat darshan in the city today.
"After we submitted our memorandum of demands, the CM promised that he will look into the matter. A meeting of a deputation of teachers has also been fixed with him for January 8," said Maan Singh, president of the union.
Stating the demands of the union, Maan Singh said, "We are demanding that the government should either begin the recruitment process to bring in more teachers for these schools or merge them with its government schools as has been done in Haryana and Rajasthan."
"There are 484 aided schools in Punjab. While earlier, these schools had 10,000 staff members, now only 4,000 are left. The teaching and non-teaching staff members retire every year while no new recruitment is being done. Our salaries are also never released on time," he added.
Making sure that the sangat darshan by the Chief Minister of Punjab, held in the city today, met with no roadblocks, the police showed alacrity and arrested as many as 60 teachers, all members of the Unaided Teachers of Aided Schools Front, Punjab, who were assembling near the Government Rajindra College here today to participate in a state-level demonstration planned by the union.
"We got the information that the teachers were getting together to stage a protest in the city and block traffic. Working on the tip-off, we went to the spot and rounded up the teachers. We let them off at around 4 pm after they assured us that they would not assemble and block traffic or stage a protest in the city," said DSP Gurmit Singh Kingra.
Speaking to Bathinda Tribune, Jagnam Singh, a member of the union, claimed that the union had planned the protest before the news of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal holding a sangat darshan in the city, was announced.
"Abiding by our plan to launch a state-level protest against the government, the members of the union were reaching the city when suddenly police personnel came and arrested us and took us away. One of the policemen also slapped our district president Gurpreet Singh," he stated.
He also argued that the police action was uncalled for since the teachers hadn't even started their protest. "The police told us that instead of assembling in the city and staging a protest, the union should have resorted to sending a deputation of teachers to meet the CM at his sangat darshan. But when we asked the police to let us do so, they didn't listen to us," he added.
Explaining the demands of the union, Singh stated that the government should regularise the temporary staff of the aided schools and also resume offering scholarship and uniforms to the students of these schools.
Elaborating on the union's plan of action, Singh said, "Taking cognisance of the treatment meted out to us today, we have planned to stage a protest at places where the CM, the Deputy CM or the Member of Parliament will hold sangat darshans."
Meanwhile, a deputation of the Punjab Aided School Teacher & Other Employees Union, Bathinda, met the CM during his sangat darshan in the city today.
"After we submitted our memorandum of demands, the CM promised that he will look into the matter. A meeting of a deputation of teachers has also been fixed with him for January 8," said Maan Singh, president of the union.
Stating the demands of the union, Maan Singh said, "We are demanding that the government should either begin the recruitment process to bring in more teachers for these schools or merge them with its government schools as has been done in Haryana and Rajasthan."
"There are 484 aided schools in Punjab. While earlier, these schools had 10,000 staff members, now only 4,000 are left. The teaching and non-teaching staff members retire every year while no new recruitment is being done. Our salaries are also never released on time," he added.
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