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Unemployed teachers protesting for jobs cane-charged in Sangrur
Police lathi-charged and used water cannons to disperse 200-odd protesting members of ETT-TET Unemployed Teachers’ Union outside the residence of state education
Police lathi-charged and used water cannons to disperse 200-odd protesting members of ETT-TET Unemployed Teachers’ Union outside the residence of state education minister Vijay Inder Singla on Sunday. Protesters claimed that eleven of them were injured. Police denied any lathi-charge and said six cops were also injured, during a scuffle between teachers and them.
The protesters, who have cleared the Elementary Teacher Training (ETT) as well as qualified the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), also claimed that their demand for jobs has fallen on deaf ears for months. Members of Punjab Students Union (PSU) and Democratic Teachers’ Union (DTF) gathered on the Sunam Road in the town, and started to march towards Singla’s house, demanding jobs.
“We have been agitating for the past one month for our right of jobs. The government is not ready to listen to us. When we tried to meet the education minister on Sunday, the police lathi-charged us and used water cannons to disperse protesters. There were many disabled persons among us; shamelessly, the police used lathis on handicapped protesters,” said Ritu Balla, a disabled woman, who was part of the protest.
Rajveer Kaur, another protester, said, “There were women cops on duty, but male police personnel used lathis on women. A male cop hit my foot with a stick and I am unable to stand now. We just wanted to meet the minister, but he sent police to disperse protesters.” Balbir Chand Longowal, district chief of DTF, added, “Unemployed teachers have a democratic right to hold a protest. The use of water cannons and lathis is a shameful act.”
With protesters refusing to budge from their stand and claiming that they would continue to stay put outside Singla’s residence, the administration gave them written assurance of panel meeting them on September 30.
“The police did not use water cannons or lathi-charge the protesters. It was just a scuffle between protesters and cops. They have been told that a meeting with a panel will be arranged for them,” said Satpal Sharma, DSP (rural).
