After Jal Satyagraha (insistence on truth with water) and hunger strike, scores of striking adhyapaks (teachers having non-permanent jobs) in Shajapur district climbed on trees and raised slogans against the Madhya Pradesh government for not fulfilling its promises.
Earlier, on Saturday over 25 teachers sat on a Jal Satyagraha to press their demands for ‘equal work, equal pay’ as well as all the benefits that their regular counterparts avail in the government schools.
Speaking to HT, Lalit Tiwari, regional co- ordinator of the State Teachers’ Association said more than 50 teachers gathered at the main bus stand on Sunday morning according to a pre-decided programme. All the striking adhyapaks climbed on the trees outside the Government School of Excellence and raised slogans against the state government.
Commenting on their agitation, which lasted for five hours at the Chillar Dam, Tiwari said the Jal Satyagraha and climbing on trees was a part of their protest and they were acting in accordance with their schedule.
The regional co-ordinator said on November 26, 2012 they had a discussion with the state school education minister Archana Chitnis and they were assured that the salary structure would be revised soon. However, nothing was done after that.
{{/usCountry}}The regional co-ordinator said on November 26, 2012 they had a discussion with the state school education minister Archana Chitnis and they were assured that the salary structure would be revised soon. However, nothing was done after that.
{{/usCountry}}Cautioning the MP government, the teachers said they were ready to sacrifice their lives to press the state government to fulfil their demands. On their demands, Tiwari said the government has not given permanent appointment to hundreds of teachers and their pay scale was as low as that of labourers.
“This time we don’t want to give-up on our demands as adhyapaks (teachers) are given least priority by the state government and the contractual teachers are worst paid” he said.
Adding, “If you look at Samvida Shikshaks’ monthly salary, it is around Rs. 5000 a month, while others with the same qualification but with a permanent job earn Rs. 25,00030,000 per month. Our protest is against these double standards.”