Teachers intensify stir; 200 join fast until death today; more volunteering

IMPHAL, FEBRUARY 22 (NNN): Government teachers of Manipur under the aegis of Council of Teachers Association (COTA) have intensified their ongoing fast until death stir with 200 more teachers volunteering to break into a striking mode—more waiting in the anvil to join their colleagues—at the face of stark reality following total apathy by the government to their demand for the implementation of central 6th revised pay commission recommendation in toto.
 Teachers under COTA has been resorting to fast until death stir as a last option since January 19 at the campus premises of Johnstone Higher Secondary School in Imphal demanding for the implementation of the 6th pay commission recommendation in toto. As of today, 195 teachers have been arrested by the police and lodged in jail on charges of attempting to commit suicide.
Council of Teachers’ Association (COTA) has been demanding the implementation of 6th pay recommendation since 2009 via various forms of agitation and negotiation. Early in 2010, the government and the striking teachers reached an agreement with the government buckling under pressure and agreeing to adopt and accept the implementation of the recommendation of six pay commission.
But since their demand has been falling on deft ears of the government, COTA has pledged to intensify its stir with member teachers volunteering in huge numbers even at the expense of academic atmosphere, said a member.
At least 195 teachers who were on fast until death stir have since been arrested and put behind bars by police on charges of attempting to commit suicide. Yesterday alone, around 18 teachers were bundled up on a waiting police truck to be taken to the jail. The jailed teachers have been reportedly tortured and force fed inside the jail.
In their attempt to step up the agitation, today 200 teachers—180 from Imphal East zone II and 20 from Chandel district—freshly joined the stir at Johnstone Higher Secondary School, confirmed T Rameshwore, president COTA.
Beginning today, the teachers are going into an overdrive with the ongoing fast until death stir in a group of 200 teachers. Earlier on, the teachers sat at the fast in a group of 20 so as not to disrupt the academic atmosphere of schools. 200 teachers each from Wangoi and Kakching are waiting to take over if the current batch is being hauled up by the police, he said.
He went on to confirm that the missive which was sent to Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal by COTA apprising him of the development with regard to the plight of the teachers of the State has been responded back by the minister. COTA would seek for the revelation of the content of the letter from Union HRD Minister as soon as the chief minister arrives from his sojourn in Delhi, he said.
It also alleged that despite three rounds of negotiation and constant pressure, the government is still unwilling to produce a white paper on the non-plan budget of teachers and education, hiding as it is within a non-transparent and unaccountable veil.
In another related development, students of government owned schools under the aegis of All Manipur Government High and Higher Secondary School Students’ Union Coordination Committee has convened a press meet at Imphal College today. N Kison, its convener, rued that not only are teachers of high schools but teachers of State colleges have also intensified their agitation.
Federation of All Colleges Teachers’ Association Manipur (FACTAM) has been demanding UGC pay bands by going on a mass casual leave on February 18 and 19. Since yesterday, the college teachers have also resorted to sit in protest and have given February 28 as the deadline for the government to meet their demand failing which FACTAM will launch different forms of agitation.
This move of FACTAM will effectively paralyze around 28 colleges, bringing the academic atmosphere of the students to its death knell. The students had earlier destroyed their books at the gate of the Governor’s residence besides resorting to arson and closing down of schools and government offices.
This sticky situation which has stalled the academic calendar of the students of Manipur has come at a time when the board and council exams are just around the curve. With the teachers not willing to sympathize with the students anymore, it is only natural that the students take the matter in their hands.