Police, unemployed teachers enter into a scuffle in Sangrur

Protesters alleged that the police removed the turban of their union president, Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan, lathi-charged them

Sangrur Ugly scenes were witnessed outside the house of state education minister Vijay Inder Singla on Sunday after a scuffle broke out between police and over a 100 teachers of Unemployed BEd Teachers Union. The teachers were protesting for jobs.

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Protesters alleged that the police removed the turban of their union president, Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan, lathi-charged them, used water cannons and even used sticks on women teachers.

“We are demanding jobs as the government has failed to provide employment to the youth. The government should recruit 15,000 teachers immediately and the age limit for this should be fixed at 42 year from 37,” Dhilwan added.

DSP (rural) Satpal Sharma denied any lathi-charge and said that there was only a scuffle between the police and protesters. “We did not lathi-charge, but used water cannons. The teachers have been asked to meet a state government panel,” the DSP added.

Another union of teachers, Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), has criticised the lathi-charge and extended its support to unemployed teachers.