36-year-old won’t end fast until govt gives written assurance of employment: Union

PATIALA: While the Patiala administration claims to have persuaded the ETT-TET pass unemployed teachers’ union to help end the hunger strike of a 36-year-old agitator, the union has denied the claim and said they want a written assurance of employment from the government first.

Thirty-six-year-old Surinderpal Singh, who has cleared the ETT (elementary teacher training)TET (teacher eligibility test) but continues to remain unemployed, had started a fast unto death on June 22. He has been protesting atop a 260-foot mobile tower, where he has stayed put for the past 103 days.

As the fast entered the 10th day on Thursday, the administration issued a release, stating that officials had succeeded in getting the consent of ETT union leaders to end the hunger strike.

A meeting between administration officials, including deputy commissioner (DC) Kumar Amit, senior superintendent of police Dr Sandeep Garg, superintendent of police (city) Varun Sharma, Patiala sub-divisional magistrate Charanjit Singh, and representatives of ETT Union, including its president Deepak Kamboj, is said to have taken place on late Wednesday evening.

“It was decided to persuade the agitating teacher to end his hunger strike by offering him liquid and food items,” the release stated.

DC Kumar Amit said, “School education minister Vijay Inder Singla had also met the union a week ago and it ended on a positive note. I am hopeful the union will convey the message to Surinderpal and request him to climb down the tower and end his fast in the best interests of his health and family.”

On the other hand, the ETTTET union chief Kamboj said, “There was no consensus on ending the protest or bringing down our colleague from the mobile tower. We told authorities that efforts will be made to persuade Surinderpal to come down, but he has refused saying that the government should first issue notification and give written assurance about fulfilment of our demands.”

He added that a meeting was also held with Sandeep Sandhu, officer on special duty to the chief minister, in which it is decided that another meeting will be held with senior authorities on Tuesday.

HAS BEEN PROTESTING ATOP A 260-FOOT MOBILE TOWER, WHERE HE HAS STAYED PUT FOR THE PAST 103 DAYS