Protesting Jharkhand teachers stopped from moving towards CM’s home

Hundreds of assistant teachers on Saturday attempted to march towards Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence on Kanke Road in support of their demands such as pay fixation, but were stopped by the police.

The administration had issued prohibitory order restricting any kind of procession, rally or demonstration by the assistant teachers, earlier known as para teachers, within 200-meter radius of the chief minister’s house and the state secretariat. Barricades were put up at various places in Morabadi area to stop the rally.

The protestors requested the administration to let them proceed towards the CM's house assuring the authorities that they would hold a peaceful demonstration. However, they were not allowed to proceed towards Soren's residence from Morabadi ground citing imposition of Section-144 CrPC in the area from 7 am to 11.30 pm on Saturday.

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In the morning, the assistant teachers assembled at Morabadi ground under the banner of Ekikrit Sahayak Adhyapak Sangharsh Morcha (ESASM). An ESASM member Sanjay Dubey said that their main demand for the agitation is fixation of pay scale for all 62,000 assistant teachers.

“The JMM, Congress and RJD ally had promised pay fixation of assistant teachers before the 2019 assembly elections . It is over three years but the issue is still pending,” Dubey said. He said that apart from pay fixation, eight other demands include benefits to the kin of teachers, who have died, on compensation ground.

Later, an 11-member delegation was allowed to meet the secretary to the chief minister Vinay Kumar Choubey to place their demands. After the meeting, the delegates said that the secretary assured them of prompt action on most of the demands.

“We were assured that we would be allowed to meet the chief minister next week on the pay fixation issue,” the delegates said.