Bihar government warns protesting teachers, teachers union flares up

Patna (IANS) | Protests have started in Bihar ever since the new recruitment rules for teachers were made. Meanwhile, the government has warned of strict disciplinary action if employed teachers participate in protest programs against the rules. Here, the teachers union has also ignored the warning.

In a letter sent to the District Education Officers, Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, Deepak Kumar Singh has said that all District Education Officers of the state should ensure that disciplinary action is initiated against teachers appointed through Panchayati Raj Institutions who Organizes or participates in any protest against the new rules made by the state government recently for the appointment of teachers in government schools.

The letter said that there have been reports in the media that the teachers are planning to organize a protest against the new rules for the appointment of government teachers.

It may be noted that the state cabinet had on May 2 approved the proposal to recruit 1.78 lakh teachers for primary, middle and high schools through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC). A day after the cabinet cleared the proposal, protests broke out over the modalities of the appointments.

Expressing objection to the manner of appointments, several unions of teachers had told it against the 3.5 lakh teachers appointed through Panchayati Raj Institutions.

State General Secretary of Bihar State Secondary Teachers Association, Shatrughan Prasad Singh said that the letter issued by Deepak Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, violates the fundamental rights of the Constitution of India.

He said that no citizen of India can follow any order which is anti-constitutional, Bihar Secondary Teachers Association. If the government makes a policy against us, then we have a fundamental right in a democracy to oppose it.

He said that the government will have to be forced and rectify the mistakes. He said that the government wants to make those teachers who have been providing service for 20 years unemployed. Wants to lay off them. We will not give you this right at any cost.

–IANS