Arvind Kejriwal joins protest of contractual teachers in Punjab’s Mohali

Aam Aadmi Party national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday joined the protest of contractual teachers in Mohali in support of their demand for the regularisation of their services.

Kejriwal, accompanied by AAP Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann, assured the protesting teachers: “I guarantee to resolve the issues of teachers on priority. Give your younger brother a chance and if I fail, you can show me the door. We will improve the (standard of) education in Punjab.”

The contractual teachers have been protesting outside the Punjab State School Education Board building in Phase 8, Mohali, for the past 165 days.

Mann, the AAP Sangrur MP, said: “Teachers are the builders of the nation. It is unfortunate that they have to sit on protest for their demands. I am the son of a teacher so I understand your pain. The AAP is with you.”

The contractual teachers want their services regularised as some of them have been working on contract since 2003.

Kejriwal also met physical training instructors on protest atop a water tank near Gurdwara Sahib Singh Shaheedan, Sohana.

Is Punjab CM lying, asks Kejriwal

Taking a dig at Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s claim over regularising the services of 36,000 employees, Kejriwal said: “I was coming from the airport and I saw the CM’s posters after few metres claiming that the services of 36,000 contractual employees have been regularised, but if you’re not among them, then the CM is lying.”

“Delhi sends its teachers for training abroad and the Punjab government is driving its teachers up towers to protest,” Kejriwal added.

With an eye on the assembly elections in Punjab early next year, Kejriwal had recently launched Mission Punjab. He will be visiting various places in Punjab over the next month and announce the party’s programmes for the state and its people.

Addressing a press conference in Punjab during his last visit, Kejriwal had said, “We will improve Punjab government schools just like we have improved Delhi government schools; only we know how to do it, no other party does. I guarantee to resolve multiple issues of teachers on an emergency basis.”

He also announced an eight-point poll plank to transform the education sector in the state, including regularising the services of contractual teachers. He had also promised to implement a transfer policy for teachers and assured them cashless medical treatment facilities if the party comes to power.

In the 2017 Punjab assembly polls, the Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party, winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats, while the BJP secured three seats.