Neingulei Kreo
New Reserve, Kohima
After waiting patiently for eight months in the good hope that our salaries will be released, this ninth month has become extremely intolerably. Even after resorting to boycotting the classes, the fate of us Hindi teachers remains the same. Once upon a time, with our appointment our families were proud of us and ‘Great Expectations’ were placed upon us. But now sadly, that very pride is turning to shame as we are drowning in endless debts, dragging our families as well in this ‘Sinking Ship.’ All the 1,379 Hindi teachers are now helplessly taking refuge in our parents’ place, completely paralyzed. Everywhere we go people view us as a ‘Charity case’, ‘Aya! Morom bi lageho, aro etu mahina bi tankhwa panai?’ From being teachers respected and honored, we are now reduced to ‘pity creatures’ and subject of gossip.
What wrong have we done? Why are we made to suffer this long? Is this fair? Is this the reward we get for teaching the students one of the most difficult subjects all these months sincerely despite being unpaid? We are tormented everywhere, people don’t trust us anymore, the fact that our students exams are just around the corner makes our heart ache, but we are so helpless now because we don’t have a single digit in our accounts and we cannot get credit from anywhere even for our fares to reach our posting place. Some people mock us and say, ‘you guys will be getting a lot when it’s released, so it’s ok,’ but the sad irony is that only we the unpaid teachers know, we will hardly pocket a few rupee as we will be giving all to pay our heavy debts.
We are not staying at home, enjoying the boycott. We are doing so because we are compelled to, we have been reduced to “NOTHING’’. We stay inside, ashamed even to come out and face the society who once respected us as teachers but now at us as “poor-penniless teachers”. We are going into Depression!!! We have become unwanted, a burden!!! God knows the brutality of our sufferings. This year has been the worst nightmare for us. Every morning we wake up and wonder, “God!!! Where can we get anymore credit?”At night we close our eyes in despair wishing for a miracle to happen the next morning.
We can’t go through this any longer. Our children are on the verge of being kicked out of school. People come charging us for the credits we took every now and then. We can’t stand the abuses and mockery anymore! Care to change places with us? We are not begging for mercy but standing for what rightfully belongs to us. Eight months turning to nine months without salary!!! Are we to wait for another nine months? This is the voice of 1,379 Hindi teachers echoing in a piece of paper.
PS: SUPPORT US DIARY OF 1,379 HINDI TEACHERS
