Computer instructors’ protest turns ugly, 10 hurt in cane-charge
THE PROTESTORS WERE DEMANDING REINSTATEMENT OF ABOUT 2,500 INSTRUCTORS
LUCKNOW: At least 10 people were injured on Wednesday when police lathi-charged government schools’ computer instructors protesting in front of OCR building here on Vidhan Sabha Marg.
The protestors were demanding reinstatement of about 2,500 instructors and regularisation of computer instructors as regular teachers with fixed grade salary.
About 4,000 computer instructors under the banner of Secondary Computer Instructors Association had gathered at OCR campus since morning. The trouble started when the instructors led by the association’s president Sajda Pawar decided to walk towards Vidhan Bhawan at about 1pm. Police, however, had barricaded the entire route and tried to stop the protesters near Burlington crossing.
Cops resorted to lathi-charge when the instructors tried to jump over the barricades to reach in front of Vidhan Bhawan. This resulted in a stampede like situation on Ashok Marg as the protestors started running for cover.
Pawar told reporters that unarmed protestors were brutal- ly beaten up by police when they were demanding their rights.
She said police even did not spare women protestors during the lathi-charge. “At least 10 protestors have been severely injured and taken to civil hospital for treatment while there are many others who have suffered bruises and minor injuries,” she said.
Pawar said the computer instructors would continue to protest till their demands are fulfilled and the state government cannot suppress them by resorting to lathi-charge.
Over hundreds of protestors were present at OCR campus till late evening on Wednesday demanding per mission for allowing their delegation to meet chief minister Akhilesh Yadav over their demands. The association’s president and four others were even detained for a few hours but released later in the evening.
MLCS SUPPORT COMPUTER INSTRUCTORS
Criticising the lathi-charge on computer instructors, four MLCs of teachers’ body U mesh Dwive di, San jay Mishra, Chetnarain Singh and Rajbahadur Chandel too came in their support. The MLCs walked out of Vidhan Bhawan after coming to know about the lathi-charge and joined the protesters. They sat on dharna at OCR building in support of the instructors. The MLCs said the instructors’ demands were genuine and the state government should look into the matter seriously.