January 26, Tuesday was the 51st day of on road protest of 10323 Joint Movement Committee demanding direct permanent job. Braving the cold weather, men and women teachers continued their indefinite sit-in in Agartala since beginning the protest on December 7 last year, demanding restoration of their jobs. The agitating teachers from undergraduate to postgraduate level have rejected the BJP-led government’s appeal to apply afresh for the vacant posts in different departments for which separate notifications were issued at the end of last year. Dalia Das, joint convener of the Joint Movement Committee (JMC), which is spearheading the stir since last year, said that of the 10,323 retrenched government teachers, 84 persons died due to various reasons including illness and three persons who committed suicide. “Many out of the 10,323 teachers after losing their jobs fell sick due to depression and economic paucity and 84 of them died. The family members of all the retrenched teachers are in great distress, especially of those who have dies,” said 10323 Joint Movement Committee. Small kids, children and family elders of the agitating teachers occasionally take part in the round the clock sit-in. “The teachers have already completed their government service for seven to 10 years and several of them crossed their stipulated age limit and the state government’s offer is “unreasonable” and against the interest of the teachers.” said JMC 10323. The protesters had suspended their agitation earlier after the Chief Minister on October 3 last year assured to take steps to resolve their problems permanently within two months. “After waiting for more than two months, we resumed our sit-in stir on December 7 but the state government is yet to take any step. We would soon intensify our agitation,” said JMC 10323. Of the 10,323 former government teachers, 1,357 people got alternative jobs and availed different income avenues while 84 teachers died with three of them committing suicide.
