BJP MLC THREATENS SIT-IN OVER ISSUE OF UNAIDED SCHOOLS’ TEACHERS

LUCKNOW : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Umesh Dwivedi, who is also the state chief of Shikshak Mahasabha, a teachers’ body, has said he would agitate against his own government if the state government didn’t listen to his demands for financially helping 3.5 lakh teachers working in 21,000 unaided colleges across UP. Dwivedi, who had joined the BJP in 2019, said the pandemic had hit the teachers in unaided colleges hard.

“I have written a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath making it clear that despite my repeatedly raising the issue of problems before teachers in unaided schools and colleges of the state, the approach of the government isn’t satisfactory,” Dwivedi said.

He also said with 2022 UP assembly polls approaching, the neglect of teachers across the state wouldn’t be beneficial for the party and demanded a financial package for them.

“Though I have already written to the chief minister to brief him yet again on this important issue of providing a financial package for such teachers, I would also be meeting the CM soon. But if he doesn’t listen, I may stage a sit-in against my government as it’s a matter of livelihood of teachers and being their leader, I cannot turn a blind eye to their plight,” he said.

Dwivedi said during Covid times, students were unable to pay their fees.

“The fee is hardly coming these days and whatever little is coming is used by the management. Some school managements have been kind to the teachers but majority of them are finding it difficult to make two ends meet. They have not got their salaries and I can say with certainty that teachers are not happy with the government (approach),” Dwivedi said in his letter to the CM.

Dwivedi said he had also marked copies of the letter to deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, the state’s education minister, as well as other senior party leaders.