Police lathicharge protesting teachers

Patiala, December 19

Many unemployed ETT teachers — who were protesting against the state government — were injured when the police resorted to lathicharge here today.

The police lathi-charged the teachers when they tried to scale the barricades near the YPS roundabout, 100 metres away from the Chief Minister's residence.

The teachers had initially started a peaceful protest after they were given verbal assurance of a solution to their demands. However, after waiting for half-an-hour, the teachers tried to march towards the Chief Minister's residence, and the police lathicharged the teachers, including women.

The protesting teachers said the state government was not serious about advertising jobs. They protested against the Education Department's provision to allow the BEd graduates to apply for the posts of ETT teacher. They demanded that the Education Department should repeal this provision and advertise 10,000 new posts immediately.

Deepak Kamboj, state president, Unemployed ETT TET Pass Union, said, "Owing to the indifferent attitude of the government, many ETT/TET-pass aspirants are without jobs. The government has failed to provide jobs to the youth for the past three years. The government is bragging 'ghar ghar rozgar', while the qualified youth are still protesting on roads."

Meanwhile, the teachers said they had refused the offer of the district administration of a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa. Till the filing of the report, the teachers would continue holding a sit-in near the CM residence, they said. — TNS

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3rhacWW