Punjab: Computer teachers’ agitation continues on the 11th day
Punjab: The hunger strike led by computer teacher Johnny Singla outside Bathinda District Administrative Complex (DC Office) entered the 11th day today. Singla, who has been drinking only water since December 22, is staging a sit-in in support of the demands of agitating computer teachers working in government schools across the state. With this, the sequential hunger strike of two computer teachers per day has also reached the 123rd day. The sit-in is being held under the banner of ‘Computer Shikshak Hunger Strike Sangharsh Samiti’. The major demands of the protesters include – transfer of computer teachers from Punjab Information and Communication Technology Education Society (PICTES) to Punjab Education Department, implementation of Sixth Pay Commission for them, revision of dearness allowance (DA) from 2021, scrapping of new service rules implemented on November 19, 2024. Speaking to Tribune, state committee member Pradeep Malluka accused the state government of making false promises regarding their demands. He said that despite a meeting with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and the Education Secretary on November 5, 2024, in which several demands were agreed upon, no concrete action has been taken since then. Malluka pointed out that teachers under the Fifth Punjab Pay Commission have been receiving 148 per cent DA since 2021, while state government employees are being paid as per the Sixth Pay Commission. He termed this disparity as ‘injustice’ to computer teachers. Johnny Singla, who has been on a hunger strike for a long time, has deteriorated, though government doctors are monitoring him daily. Despite this, they are determined to continue their protest. To intensify the agitation, the union has announced plans to gherao the residence of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains in his native village Gambhirpur in Anandpur Sahib on January 5. Additionally, a meeting with the Cabinet Sub-Committee has been scheduled in Chandigarh on January 7 to further discuss the demands of the teachers. The protest is gaining momentum as teachers demand a fair solution to their grievances.
