Meghalaya contractual teachers to agitate infront of secretariat until death

Amid the ongoing protest of the Meghalaya Government Lower Primary Contractual Teachers' Association (MGLPSTA), now the contractual teachers have decided to continue with their agitation in front of the secretariat until death.

Earlier today, Meghalaya education minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on October 7 sought a report from the district administration on the teargas incident while the agitating teachers were marching towards the state's secretariat building. 

The agitating teachers, on the other hand, did not take prior approval from the district administration to demonstrate such a protest by leading the way to the main gate of the state secretariat building.

"Section 144 was imposed and they were not granted permission to march forward, so I have sought a report and will have to act accordingly," said Rymbui.

Further, the minister stated that the report will also give light on what actually happened which forced the police to resort to teargas.

The education minister also assured the agitating teachers that age condonation will be given to the teachers so that they can appear in the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET).

It is to be mentioned here that, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator AL Hek on October 7 condemned the tear gas incident on October 6 and demand the step down of the Home Minister on Moral grounds.

Talking to reporters on October 7, AL Hek stated, “Applying tear gas to teachers is very inhuman. Teachers have come with a family, we have seen them with a small kid and they are doing very peaceful protests for their rights. So they were not doing anything which can harm anyone. So applying weapons against poor teachers are very very inhuman. The home minister (Lahkmen Rymnui) and the Education Minister together should step down on the moral ground”.

Earlier on October 6, the teachers decided to retaliate and march towards Secretariat Building even as Section 144 Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, is being imposed in the Secretariat area.

Following this, the state police tried to stop them from reaching the Secretariat but the crowd pushed through and kept on marching which resulted in a brief scuffle between the teachers and the police. The police lobbed three tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating teachers. 

Chairperson State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Ïohmon Syiem has taken statements of the children and the female teachers affected by the tear gas incident.