Support grows for EGS teachers; Bajwa demands inquiry

Even after the death of a 14-month-old infant during protest by Employment Guarantee Scheme teachers, there seems no end in sight to the deadlock between the protesters and the state government.

Even after the death of a 14-month-old infant during protest by Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) teachers, there seems no end in sight to the deadlock between the protesters and the state government.

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With the government not reacting, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa, Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar, radical Sikh leader Baljit Singh Daduwal, members of students unions, PRTC employee unions and other groups came forward to support the teachers, on Friday. Bajwa condemned the alleged brutality shown by the police and demanded an inquiry into the death of the infant. "Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal must order an inquiry into death of the infant and take action against the guilty officials," Bajwa demanded. He alleged that the SAD-BJP government and the district administration must own up accountability for the death.

Bajwa was scheduled to be in town to preside over a dharna by the Congress, demanding a CBI probe into the international drug racket. "The government must accept the teachers' demands. It is surprising that local MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal has not bothered to visit the parents of the infant." He added that Harsimrat's Nanhi Chhaan campaign was useless, if infants were to die on streets due to the callousness of the government. "Instead of listening to the grievances of striking teachers, the civil administration and the police intimidated them," he alleged.