Teachers hold massive rally

CHANDIGARH, Feb 16: Over 200 teachers, from different colleges and universities of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Chandigarh, partic...

CHANDIGARH, Feb 16: Over 200 teachers, from different colleges and universities of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Chandigarh, participated in a rally held at the Gandhi Bhawan, Panjab University PU, this morning. They were protesting against the 8220;government delay in implementation of the revised pay-scales8221;.

The rally marked the beginning of the joint agitation launched by various college and university teachers8217; organisations, including the All India Federation of University Teachers8217; Associations AIFUTA, Guru Nanak Dev University Teachers8217; Association GNDUTA, Punjab Agricultural University Teachers8217; Association PAUTA, Punjabi University Teachers8217; Association PUTA and office-bearers from teachers8217; bodies of the Jammu University, the Y. S. Parmar Horticulture University, Solan, and the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union PCCTU.

Later, the agitating teachers led a procession to the office of the PU Vice-Chancellor and criticised the Punjab government for non-implementation of the revised pay-scales. They also criticised the various vice-chancellors 8220;for their indifference in prevailing upon the state governments to remove the discrimination against teachers, as all the other employees of the universities were already placed under the revised pay-scale category8221;.

AIFUTA president P. P. Arya and general secretary Satya P. Gautam will observe a 48-hour fast outside the PU V-C8217;s office. The presidents and secretaries of the university teachers associations in the North zone will sit on a 24-hour hunger strike on their respective campuses on March 12, while others teachers will go on a mass casual leave.

On March 24, 8220;the university teachers will cease work for one day8221;, AIFUTA sources said.

Among those who addressed the gathering were R. K. Bedi, A. S. Kaushal, V. K. Kapoor, Hari Singh Brar, N. S. Atri, P. P. Arya, Satya P. Gautam, M. Rajivlochan, Charanjit Chawla, N. P. Minocha and Rabindra Nath Sharma.