Modi slams teachers for resorting to violence

Bihar govt open to talks on salary increase, says deputy CM

With lakhs of contractual teachers on warpath with Bihar government, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday said the government was favourably inclined to hike their pay but blamed agitating teachers for slamming the doors for talks by resorting to violence.

“The government has never said that it will not hold talks to increase pay of the fixed term teachers as per its resources,” Modi said.

“Our doors are open for talk for this (increasing pay). We have done it in the past also,” he said ruling out the possibility of regularising their jobs.

Politicising the issue

Regularisation of job and pay parity with regular teachers are the main demands of over 2.25 lakh contractual teachers. Making a veiled attack on principal opposition party RJD, he said those who are making promises to regularise their jobs are indeed keeping them in dark for political benefits.

Not in consonance

Hitting out at the agitating teachers, the Bihar deputy chief minister said their behaviour of pelting stones on police and indulging in violence during March 5 protest which forced police to use force was not in conformity with their profession.

Modi said the state government has earmarked Rs 18,500 crore on education in the annual budget for 2013-14.

“We have limited resources and have to use it judiciously for developmental work in all the sectors,” he said.

Lack of funds

State education minister P K Shahi has said the state government would require an additional sum of Rs 12,000 crore for pay parity of the contractual teachers.

“From where will such a huge amount come. Can the government halt development works of other departments,” he told reporters on Thursday reacting on the teachers stir.

Modi said contractual teachers have been appointed through local bodies and the state government was providing them grants to carry out their responsibility.