Bhopal: With rakhis in their hands a good number of women selected teachers, who are on an agitation path seeking appointment letters from the school education department, staged a dharna at the state BJP office here on Wednesday.
Heavy barricades were put up and police personnel were deployed in a good number at and around the BJP office to prevent the protesters from entering the premises.
However, the teachers have refused to leave the venue until they tie rakhis on the hands of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and get their appointment letters.
Some teachers broke down before the media saying that they were fed up of giving replies to their children and relatives to their question- when will you start working?’
“We have come carrying clothes and food supplies and will remain here till we get our joining letters,” said one of the selected teachers, Rashmi from Jhabua.
One of the teachers Priya from Bhopal said, “We waited for as many as seven years for recruitment held by the state government in 2018 against. But we have been waiting for our appointment letters since then. What can be a bigger irony than this?”
The selected teachers protest in front of BJP office demanding recruitment on Wednesday in Bhopal. | FP
One of the protesters fell unconscious during dharna | FP
Another selected teacher Deepa Choubey said, “Several states including UP and Chhatisgarh have given conditional appointment letters. The Shivraj government hasn’t presented its side strongly in the Court.”
Most of the selected teachers were in jobs and teaching in private schools but had to quit during the verification process for appointment letters. Department had asked for an NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the previous employer, she added.
Selected candidates have also started a campaign on social media platforms and are demanding immediate appointment letters. ‘It has been over 3 years that we have been selected. We have also got a lot of assurances from various leaders but not appointment letters,’ said one of the selected teachers, Naveeen Shrivastava.
“After long wait of seven years MP government started teachers’ recruitment in 2018 on about 30,000 posts. But even after three years CM Chouhan is not able to give us joining in schools,” said Rohit Sharma, one of the selected teachers in his tweet.
Protesting teachers tie rakhi to Congress MLA Jitu Patwari in Bhopal on Wednesday | FP
Jitu Patwari visits venue, protesters tie Rakhi: Congress MLA and former minister Jitu Patwari also visited the venue. Protesting teachers tied Rakhi to him. Patwari assured them that he will raise the issue strongly at all platforms. Congress tried its best during their regime but the matters were complicated by the BJP previous regime, he added.
Dharna dispersed after police start profiling of protesters
In a late evening development, collector Avinash Lavania and DIG Irshad Wali reached the venue and gave time to protestors to vacate the place- as it was violating Covid protocols.
After warning by the DIG, the police started noting details of protestors including taking photographs. ‘Named FIR will be done against the people who refuse to vacate. Candidates whose names appear in FIR will not be given by job including this one,’ warned the DIG.
Little later, mild force was used by the police and the protestors dispersed from the venue. One of the selected teachers’ said that they will formulate strategy about further action later.
