Gana Sikshaks warn Odisha govt of ‘do or die’ battle

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 24:

Thousands of Gana Sikshaks under the banner of Odisha Gana Sikshak Mahasangha today fought a pitched battle with the police in an effort to gherao the state assembly. The police, however, repelled their advance and prevented the situation from going out of hand.

The teachers were holding a demonstration demanding implementation of State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) order and regularisation of Gana Sikshaks within six years of employment.

“The Chief Minister had assured us to regularise our jobs within two months, when we had a meeting with him last December. But nothing has been done in the last four months,” said Hanesh Bag, General Secretary of Odisha Gana Sikshak Mahasangha.

“The government is playing games with us. They have the money for everybody and everything, but not for us. They have been cheating us time and again. This time, this is a do or die fight for us,” said a protester.

The representatives of the protesters later went on to meet departmental officers and the minister and submitted a charter of their demands.

They had demonstrated at lower PMG and submitted memorandums during the winter session of the Assembly as well.