Teachers’ unions condemn Ludhiana DC’s statement, want apology

Ludhiana DC’s statement, shared widely on social networking sites, has been strongly condemned by the teachers’ unions

In the wake of his alleged recent statement about forcible retirement of employees, deputy commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma is under fire.

The leaders said if Ludhiana DC does not withdraw his statement with apology, then the United Front of Teachers’ Union will stage a protest at the district administration office. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

DC’s statement, shared widely on social networking sites, has been strongly condemned by the teachers’ unions. Leaders of teachers’ unions, including Daljit Samrala, Gurpreet Singh, Davinder Singh, Sukhdev Hathur, Amandeep Singh Nolari, Hoshiar Singh, Ravinder Happy, Gurbachan Singh, Harpinder Shahi, Sanjay Puri, have strongly condemned DC’s statement in which he alleged said the employees who are unable to perform their election duty due to their ill-health or their family members’, should be given retirement; he will recommend the government to do so and believes that women who are concerned about the service of their ailing mother-in-law should also be retired.

District general secretary of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) Daljit Samrala said the statement sounds like that of a political leader or CEO of a trading company.

DTF, Jagraon Block, president Davinder Singh Sidhu said, “The Election Commission has issued instructions to DC-cum-district electoral officer to allocate the duties of teachers and staff in their paternal or neighbouring constituencies. All those instructions have been ignored by the DC and the district administration.”

The leaders said if DC does not withdraw his statement with apology, then the United Front of Teachers’ Union will stage a protest at the district administration office.

Despite several attempts to contact him, DC Sharma was not immediately available for comments.