Tripura Teachers Demanding Regularization of Jobs Baton Charged by Police, At Least a Dozen Injured

Agartala, March 17, 2020:

Chaos erupted at the Paradise Choumuhani in Tripura capital Agartala following a wildcat protest called by a section of 10,323 teachers who are facing termination of jobs due to court orders, this morning. The protestors had been organizing a sit-in stir at the Orient Choumuhani for the past couple of days seeking assurance of their jobs. However, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, prohibitory orders were clamped across the state, and police soon arrived to disperse the teachers, leading to massive unrest.

In the wake of the clamping of Section 144, the Police succeeded in dispersing the protesting teachers from their agitation venue this morning. However, later the situation turned volatile again when 10,323 teachers assembled at Paradise Choumuhani and shouted slogans seeking security of their jobs. As soon as the local administration came to know about this large contingent comprising police, TSR and Central Armed Police Forces rushed to the spot and cordoned them.

After a brief skirmish between Police and teachers, the agitators were taken into custody and taken to the West Agartala Police Station. At least 12 teachers were injured during the skirmish and shifted to IGM Hospital for medical attention. The teachers continued the protest at the Kaman Choumuhani-Battala road in protest and Chief Minister Biplab Deb, Education Minister Ratanlal Nath and Police came under severe criticism for their use of brutal force against the protesting teachers.

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Later on, the protestors, who were booked by cops, were released on condition that they would not continue with their ongoing stir. Police said that they were compelled to use force as the protesters refused to budge despite the imposition of prohibitory orders.

[caption id="attachment_54979" align="alignnone" width="660"] An injured teacher[/caption]

Meanwhile, Bimal Saha, leader of the agitating teachers, told reporters that they would intensify their agitation if the state government does not take steps to protect their jobs. He alleged that BJP government has backtracked from its pre-poll promise of protecting the jobs of 10,323 teachers whose livelihoods are under threat. “We demand to be reinstated as teachers in our existing positions”, Saha added.

It is pertinent to mention here that although the teachers had a hearing for a petition filed with the Supreme Court yesterday, it was not heard amid the national panic over the coronabirus. Earlier, Tripura Education Minister Nath had said that the BJP government aims to create 11,800 posts, and would likely result in the re-appointment of those among 10,323 teachers who are still jobless after their service tenure ends. All the proposed new jobs would be contractual in nature.

Meanwhile, former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI (M) leader Manik Sarkar has claimed that the ill-treatment meted out to the protesting teachers is symbolic of the "inhuman face of the government". The way the agitating teachers had been subjected to ill-treatment using the police and administrative powers had evoked negative responses across the country, Sarkar charged.

Addressing the media, after meeting a section of teachers who got admitted in the GBP hospital, he said, “Imposition of section 144 due to the Corona pandemic has been done exclusively here in Tripura. Nowhere in the country such emergency laws have been enforced yet as precautionary measures. I have personally visited some of the states but have noticed nothing like that”.

Notably, a few of the teachers sustained injuries while confronting police after imposition of section 144 in order to avert any mass gathering amid Corona threat.

The opposition leader also continued that the government failed to ensure security of life and livelihood of the teachers whose lives have been imperiled.

“Nobody from the administration came forwards to talk with the teachers. The teachers had been protesting since last few days in Orient Chowmuhani. They were suddenly stopped from continuing their protest citing section 144 last night. When they resisted, they were evicted from the spot of protest this morning. They finally resolved to hold a protest front of the police station. Finally, they were subjected to baton charge”.

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