Ignored by Punjab govt, computer teachers intensify protest with hunger strike in Sangrur
The allegation came after a delegation of Punjab ministers visited the Khanauri border Wednesday to meet fasting farmer union leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
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Johny Singla convenor of Computer Adhiyapak Sangrash Committee( in saffron turban) on fast unto death outside Sangrur deputy commissioner's office The office bearers of the Computer Adhyapak Bhukh Hartal Sangharsh Committee (CABHSC) Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government of playing politics over dharna.
Nardeep Sharma, President, CABHSC (Sangrur district), told The Indian Express, “CABHSC members have been sitting outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Sangrur for the past 117 days and holding a relay hunger strike. From December 22, Johny Singla, state convenor of CABHSC, has also started fast-unto-death but the ministers are not bothering to visit our dharna.”
The allegation came after a delegation of Punjab ministers visited the Khanauri border Wednesday to meet fasting farmer union leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, coordinator of SKM non-political, urging him to seek medical help. Dallewal entered Day 31 of his hunger strike Thursday. Computer teachers alleged that Punjab ministers met Dallewal as the farmers’ protest was against the Centre while they were agitating against the state government.
One to five computer teachers have been observing a hunger strike daily in a relay manner since September 1 seeking 6th Pay Commission salary, among other demands.
Paramveer Singh Pammi, another state convenor of the Sangharsh Committee, said, “We are seeking implementation of 6th pay commission salary as, till date, we are getting 5th pay commission payment and the pay disparity with teachers of other subjects recruited after us is increasing. Not only this, we don’t get the benefit of many civil service rules like a job to a family member in case of the death of an employee, and medical reimbursement. We don’t even get New Pension Scheme benefits, let alone Old Pension Scheme. We are under the Employees’ Provident Fund Act of 1960.”
“We are employees of the Punjab Information and Communication Technology Education Society and work in government schools. We want to be shifted to the Education Department… More than 7,100 computer teachers were recruited by the Punjab government between 2005 and 2011, of which 6,640 are still working. When we were recruited in 2005, we were on contract at Rs 5,000 per month salary. On July 1, 2011, our jobs were regularised and salary was increased to Rs 10,000 per month but the other demands have not been met till now,” said Nardeep Sharma.
Sharma further said that the AAP had assured to bring them under the education department and fulfill their other demands both in its 2017 and 2022 manifestoes.
“Interestingly, in September 2022, the Punjab government even announced on its social media handles that computer teachers’ demands will be fulfilled as a Diwali bonus. But nothing happened till now,” he added.
“AAP Punjab president Aman Arora has assured us of resolving the issue, but we will not withdraw the dharna till our demands are met, and even I will not end my hunger strike,” said Singla.
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