Srinagar, Oct 26: Hundreds of teachers Monday staged a massive demonstration outside Civil Secretariat to press upon the government to release their salaries pending for last six months.
The protesters who had assembled under the banner of Teachers Forum was led by Forum president Abdul Qayoom Wani. The protesters threatened to launch an agitation across Kashmir valley if their salaries were not disbursed immediately.
Amid anti-government slogans the protesters tried to march inside Civil Secretariat however police swung into action and arrested Wani along with two dozen protesters.
Shortly before his arrest, Wani told CNS that HRD ministry has been giving them step-motherly treatment while despite repeated pleas from the government did not release the first installment of Rs 600 crore. He said that State Government has already released its share however, the HRD Ministry has been indulging in dilly dally tactics.
“The silence of government over this sensitive issue is highly deplorable due to which families of teachers are facing starvation. This is highly regrettable,” he said.
Seeking the intervention of the Union HRD Minister for early release of funds withheld by the Centre under Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan (SSA), he said that hundreds of teachers, drawing their salary under the scheme, have not been paid for the past several months because of non-availability of adequate resources.