Bathinda, February 5
A day after being lathicharged and dragged away by the police personnel from the site of the dharna, members of the AIE/EGS Teachers' Union, Punjab, resumed their protest at the same place. While earlier, only 11 teachers were sitting atop the water tank at Subhash Park near Gol Diggi, several others climbed and sat on the stairs leading to the tank after the police action on Tuesday.
"We were let off by the police at around midnight and came straight back to the dharna site. It is a do or die battle for us now. We will keep coming back no matter how many times the police takes us away from here. Inhuman treatment is being meted out to us by the Police Department and the district administration. We will not buckle under the pressure created by lathicharge and police cases," said Sukhchain Singh, one of the protestors.
"The Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda met a deputation of teachers and a meeting with Principal Secretary, Education, Anjali Bhawra has been fixed for Thursday. We have also been assured of a meeting with the Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal and Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka within the next two or three days," said Gagan Kaur, another teacher.
The teachers, however, reiterated that they were not expecting these meetings to bear fruit as several similar meetings were held in the past but in vain. They said that meetings were held quite frequently in the past too —on December 25 , January 8, 19 and 30—but nothing came off them.
"We will continue our dharna till the time our demands are fulfilled on paper. No verbal promises will make us relent this time. The teachers will climb down only after we get joining letters in hands. We and our families have suffered a lot and we are ready for more sacrifice," Gagan Kaur said.
A day after being lathicharged and dragged away by the police personnel from the site of the dharna, members of the AIE/EGS Teachers' Union, Punjab, resumed their protest at the same place. While earlier, only 11 teachers were sitting atop the water tank at Subhash Park near Gol Diggi, several others climbed and sat on the stairs leading to the tank after the police action on Tuesday.
"We were let off by the police at around midnight and came straight back to the dharna site. It is a do or die battle for us now. We will keep coming back no matter how many times the police takes us away from here. Inhuman treatment is being meted out to us by the Police Department and the district administration. We will not buckle under the pressure created by lathicharge and police cases," said Sukhchain Singh, one of the protestors.
"The Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda met a deputation of teachers and a meeting with Principal Secretary, Education, Anjali Bhawra has been fixed for Thursday. We have also been assured of a meeting with the Chief Minister of Punjab Parkash Singh Badal and Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka within the next two or three days," said Gagan Kaur, another teacher.
The teachers, however, reiterated that they were not expecting these meetings to bear fruit as several similar meetings were held in the past but in vain. They said that meetings were held quite frequently in the past too —on December 25 , January 8, 19 and 30—but nothing came off them.
"We will continue our dharna till the time our demands are fulfilled on paper. No verbal promises will make us relent this time. The teachers will climb down only after we get joining letters in hands. We and our families have suffered a lot and we are ready for more sacrifice," Gagan Kaur said.
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