Violent protest hits Patna over teaching jobs for ‘outsiders’

PATNA: Thousands of agitating teacher aspirants, including a sizeable number of women, staged massive protest in Patna on Saturday against the government decision to do away with the 'domicile policy' in the recruitment of teachers in state schools. At Dak Bungalow Chowk, they pelted stones on the police. The police also resorted to lathicharge and took many of them into custody.A few of them were also injured.
The protesters, including Central Teachers' Eligibility Test (CTET) qualified candidates, contract teachers of primary and secondary schools and the unemployed youths of the state, blocked Dak Bungalow Road crossing, JP roundabout and Income Tax roundabout in support of their demands.
The protesters tried to cross the barricades, which led to clashes with the police. Many of them hid themselves in the markets and buildings in the area. The police chased them towards Patna Junction and also had to lathicharge near Gandhi Maidan.
Patna SSP Rajiv Mishra said around 20 persons were detained and two separate FIRs had been registered, one each at Kotwali and Gandhi Maidan police station, for obstruction in government works, causing traffic jam, damaging public property and pelting stones on police. The police are scanning the video footages and photographs captured on CCTV cameras to take strict action against the culprits, he added.
Abhishek Anand, a protester, said 72 hours of ultimatum was given to the government, but no response came. The CM will be forced to implement domicile policy. Priti Agarwal, another agitator, said if the education minister thinks that able candidates could be selected after making the recruitment national, then the process should be made for the people living in other countries as well, she said sarcastically. Leaders of different parties, including BJP, have openly come in support of the agitating youths. All the teachers’ organizations of the state have already decided to take out a joint procession and stage a massive demonstration in front of the assembly on July 13 in protest against the government decision to end domicile policy.