Computer teachers' protest: 7 injured as police resort to force

PANCHKULA: Around seven computer teachers and lab assistants got injured in Panchkula on Wednesday when police tried to stop them from entering Chandigarh. The cops used water cannons on as many as 200 protestors, who had plans to reach the chief minister's residence in Chandigarh.


The protesters, who wanted to gherao Shiksha Sadan in Panchkula to press their demand of regularisation of their jobs, gathered at dharna ground in Sector 5 here. They tried to gherao Shiksha Sadan but failed after the police was pressed into action.

The move has come after the contract of many computer teachers and lab assistants ended on May 31. The protesters are demanding a salary hike, job security and facilities equivalent to that of a government employee. Besides this, the protesters have also sought salaries for winter and summer vacation along with salaries for women staff on maternity leaves.

"The Haryana government had assured us that it would raise our salary and provide us facilities in line with the regular staff but so far nothing has been done. We have scheduled a meeting with principal secretary to Haryana CM, following which the next course of action would be decided," said Suresh Nain, vice-president of the Haryana State Teachers Association.

On June 8, two teachers were injured during a protest. Earlier on May 28, over 30 teachers sustained injuries. The protesters alleged that in December last year, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had agreed to accept their demands regarding salary hike and job security. "Nothing has been done yet," the protesters said.

In 17 days, this is the fifth time that the police have been forced to use water cannons on protesters.


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