Protesting SSA teachers face water cannons in Srinagar
Were protesting against low salaries
SRINAGAR: The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) teachers took out a protest rally against nonimplementation of the Seventh Pay Commission from Sheri Kashmir Park in Srinagar on Tuesday.
The Jammu and Kashmir police used force on hundreds of teachers who were to march towards the Raj Bhawan.
Police used water cannons and arrested some of the teachers’ union leaders when they attempted to march towards the Raj Bhawan.
Teachers’ forum leader Abdul Qayoom Wani told media persons that they were protesting against government’s discriminatory attitude towards the SSA and the RMSA teachers.
“Government is punishing them for no reason. They have been deprived of the benefits of Seventh Pay Commission by the government. Their salary is not linked with the HRD Ministry,” Wani said.
He said the teachers have been putting their issues across since March and raising concern over how government has violated the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
“One brother is getting benefits under the Seventh Pay Commission and another brother is in same school, working regularly for 16 years and has taken increments under the Sixth Pay Commission. It is not clear why government has kept our SSA teachers, head teachers and RMSA teachers aloof from benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission,” he said.
Wani alleged that around 40,000 teachers were getting affected by the government’s indolence. “It is a sensitive matter of 40,000 teachers and their families.
Government should not take them for granted, they have support of 1.75 lakh other teachers and over five lakh employees. The government’s lethargy should not force us to come out on roads along with our families,” he said.