College teachers threaten to intensify stir stir

The teachers of various colleges also held gate rallies in their respective colleges. Prof D.K.Walia, president and Prof.P.K.Sharma, secretary of Hindu College unit condemned the adamant attitude of HRD Minister M M Joshi.

Gurdaspur: The teachers of the Punjab Agricultural University Regional Research Centre, Gurdaspur continued their strike today and staged a protest dharna in front of the university office here. The strike totally paralysed research, technical and extension work. The farmers from the area who visited the regional centre returned disappointed while students left for home in the absence of any classes.

PUTA spokesman V.K. Vashisht strongly criticised the BJP- led coalition government for allegedly downgrading the University Grants Commission by unilaterally announcing lower pay scales.

Patiala: The Punjabi University Teachers Association today endorsed the decision of Punjab Federation of University Teachers Association (PFUTA) to socially boycott the HRD Minister if he visited Punjab because it was during his visit to Punjabi University that teachers were arrested while sitting in a peaceful dharna and were kept in police custody at Ghanour Police Station for six hours.

PUTA president B S Nanda and secretary, Jaswinder Singh said the Rastogi Committee scales were being thrust upon teachers for a period of two years and seven months simply to humiliate the teachers and avoid payment of arrears.

Punjabi University teachers organised a rally in front of the V-C’s office demanding immediate acceptance and implementation of UGC pay scales.