Teachers employed in Samagra Shiksha have been working without receiving their salaries for the past three months. Consequently, the Joint Teachers Association gathered at the mosque ground to protest, followed by a march on foot towards the Governor’s House. Ramesh Chand Sharma, the convenor of the Joint Teacher Association, along with chairman Ranveer Jorar, legal advisor Arvind Rana, general secretary Ajay Sharma, co-convenor Dinesh Dahiya, and co-convenor Sangeeta Rani, expressed their concerns. They emphasized that despite their continuous efforts to make the administration aware of the challenges faced by employees in holistic education, there has been no payment of dearness allowance (DA) or implementation of the seventh pay commission. The situation has worsened as they haven’t received their salaries for the past three consecutive months.
They stated that all efforts to communicate with the administration had failed, leading them to the Governor’s House, as it is known that only the Governor can convey their message to the Central Government. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program, they said, ‘The Prime Minister expresses his thoughts, teachers express their hunger.’ The teachers emphasized that while programs discussing examinations are continuously organized, they have not been paid salaries to meet their basic expenses. They clarified that even if funds haven’t been received from the Central Government, the administration should have utilized its own resources to pay salaries during the one-month delay. The insensitivity of the administration towards teachers is the primary reason for this delay.
The teachers demanded immediate payment of salaries from the administration, stating that this protest is their first step. If no adequate action is taken, Chandigarh’s teachers may resort to more forceful agitation. They highlighted that the situation has reached a point where teachers are hesitant to go home, fearing the disappointed eyes of their family members.