Agitating computer teachers hold protest march, burn govt’s effigy

Under the banner of ‘Computer Adhyapak Bhukh Hartal Sanghrash Committee, Punjab’, computer teachers’ relay fast entered its 32nd day here on Wednesday. The educators also took out a protest march from the DC Office complex to the Traffic Light Chowk near the main bus stand here, and burnt an effigy of the state government, raising slogans in support of their demands.

Their demands include the shifting of computer teachers from Punjab Information and Communication Technology Education Society (PICTES) to Education Department, Punjab; implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and financial assistance/government jobs on compassionate ground to the family members of nearly 100 deceased computer teachers.

Sangrur district president of Computer Adhyapak Union Nardeep Sharma said their relay fast would continue for few more days. However, the union might convert the relay fast into an indefinite fast if the state government didn’t pay attention to their demands soon. He said despite several meetings having been fixed with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, he never met the union members, hence there was a great resentment against the government among the teachers.

Sharma said that even Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains had said in 2022 that their all demands would be fulfilled, but no change took place on the ground. He said now, they had no other option than to intensify their agitation, for which the state government should be held responsible.

On the occasion, among those present included Ishar Singh (Bathinda), Ashwani Kumar, Parminder Singh Sibia, Sunita Rani, Gagandeep Kaur, Vandana Garg, Sumit Kumar, Harinder Kumar (Barnala), Jagtar Singh and Balwinder Singh.