Chandigarh: Police lathicharged protesting
teachers and arrested three of them when they tried to gherao
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a function at
Muktsar district here.
A few of the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) teachers,
including a woman, were injured in the lathicharge.
The teachers wanted to meet Badal during his visit but
were stopped by police following which a scuffle broke out and
police resorted to lathicharge, EGS teachers association
president Pritpal Singh said.
"We were on a peaceful protest to get justice, but
without provocation police used force against us," he said.
Meanwhile, the teachers who complained of not getting
justice blocked the Gidderbaha kacheri chowk on the
Malout-Bathinda road here.
Singh said that their demand was that the police should
take appropriate action against the sarpanch involved in
slapping a lady teacher in public. "The sarpanch should be
sent to jail without further delay," he said adding that the
EGS teachers were adamant on their demand for getting
government jobs.
On Tuesday, police had arrested the sarpanch on charge of
bailable offences and he was bailed out within hours after his
arrest.
The panchayat of the village had also moved an
application to police to take action against the lady teacher
for using caste specific remarks against the member of the
panchayat.
Peeved at the Punjab government for not heeding to their
demands, the teachers had threatened to immolate themselves in
front of Deputy Chief Minister's residence here on Thursday on
the occasion of birthday of Badal.
One of the lady teachers was allegedly slapped in public
view by an Akali Dal sarpanch on Sunday last.
Singh said that Badal left the venue giving them
assurance that action would be taken as per law.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 07, 2011, 15:46