Report by Mazdoor Ekta Committee correspondent
B.Ed. assistant teachers blocked roads for 10 hours on 19 January 2025, demanding adjustment. A large number of teachers and their families were among the protesters. The teachers raised slogans against the government and demanded their reinstatement.
The police dragged the sacked assistant teachers protesting at Telibandha (Marine Drive) in Raipur off the road and loaded them into buses. During this incident that took place on the night of 19 January 2025, some women teachers fainted. The women teachers accused the police of tearing their clothes and touching them with ill intentions.
The teachers have expressed their anger over this action of the police. They say that instead of listening to their problems, the government is trying to suppress them. The teachers say that if their demands are not met, they will intensify their agitation.
On the morning of 18 January, the agitating teachers surrounded the bungalow of Minister OP Chaudhary. The teachers, who were on an indefinite strike demanding adjustment, in an unexpected move, marched to the minister’s bungalow at 5 am and started sloganeering while sitting outside the gate. The police forcibly removed the teachers and arrested them.
This agitation of the teachers has been supported by student and youth organizations.
In the previous issue of Mazdoor Ekta Lehar, January 16-31, it was reported that 2900 assistant teachers in Chhattisgarh are struggling to save their jobs. On 12 January 2024, teachers took out a 5 km long Dandavat Yatra. Earlier on 10 January, they took out a funeral procession of NCET (National Council of Teacher Education) and burnt its effigy. Teachers had been on a mass hunger strike since 3 January.
Government teachers of Chhattisgarh have supported the struggle of the agitating B.Ed. assistant teachers. They are preparing a strategy to protest with the assistant teachers. Chhattisgarh Government Third Class Employees Union has also supported the protests of these assistant teachers.
According to media reports, at present 33000 teacher posts are lying vacant in Chhattisgarh. In such a situation, 3000 teachers have been fired from their jobs.