SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Oct 2: On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, thousands of Trained Assistant Teachers of the state today began a 24-hour hunger strike (10.30 am of Monday to 10.30 am of Tuesday) at Shradhanand Road- based Congress Bhawan protesting against the breach of promises given during the 2019 assembly elections.
As a pre-announced programme, thousands of assistant teachers (erstwhile Para Teachers) of the state assembled at Shradhanand Chowk under the banner of the Jharkhand State Trained Assistant Teachers Association (JSTATA) and laid siege to the Congress Bhawan.
The trained assistant teachers handed over a memorandum for the president of the Congress party.
JSTAT president Siddique Seikh and general secretary Vikash Kumar Singh, on the occasion, announced that after the completion of the hunger strike at the Congress Bhawan, 62,000 assistant teachers would hold a demonstration in front of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) office tomorrow to make the Chief Minister aware of his promises.
“During the assembly elections in 2019 at the ‘Samvid Samvad’ programme, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had promised that within three months of forming the government, his government would implement the ‘Same Work Same pay’ policy for Para teachers. Congress Party too had announced it in its manifesto but even after four years of government, they are yet to act. So trained assistant teachers have been compelled to go on hunger strike,” said Siddique Seikh.
On the occasion, the JSTATA placed 10 points demands to the Congress presidents for implementation.
The main points of demand are the holding of assessment re-examination for 5000 assistant teachers who missed it due to lapses of government officials. Recognition of assistant teachers as government employees on the pattern of Bihar, Service to dependent after death of Assistant Teacher and compensation of Rs 5 lakh as per Service Rules and Conditions as late education minister Jagarnath Mahto had announced in 2021.
Enhancement of retirement age from 60 years to 65 years as per Anganwadi Sevika and Sahiyka. Reinstatement in service to those assistant teachers who went to jail and were exonerated from charges.
State patron Sushil Kumar Jha, Niraj Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Ashok Chakraborty, Arun Kumar Jha, Ejajul Haq, Shaket Shekhar and Yudhir Mandal were also leading the hunger strike.
