Thousands Of Contractual Teachers Sit In Dharna Before Odisha Assembly

27 November, Bhubaneswar

Thousands of agitating contractual teachers today sat on a dharna before the Odisha Assembly in protest against the retrenchment of their job by the government.

The teachers who had announced to gherao the Naveen Nivas, the residence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had a scuffle with the police in front of the Railway station Thursday as the police prevented them to proceed towards the Naveen Nivas.

The teachers then in protest blocked the busy master canteen area for hours paralyzing the traffic movement in the city. Later they marched towards the state assembly and sat on dharna at the lower PMG square to lodge their protest against the governments decision to retrench them from their job and the arrest of some of their leaders and colleagues by the police.

The teachers threatened to intensify the agitation if the government did not concede their demands.They blamed the state government for recruiting them despite a stay order by the Odisha High court.

Describing their demand as legitimate, the teachers alleged that for no fault of their they have been removed from the service to hide the own mistake of the government.

Meanwhile, State School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the state government will request the court to reconsider the case of contractual teachers.

He said since the HSC examinations are ahead, the state government will urge the court to take a decision soon so that the education of the students will not suffer.