Front leaders to meet Education Minister Harjot Bains and Education Secretary on December 9
SANGRUR: Under pressure from the struggle of assistant professors and librarians and farmers, employees, teachers and labor organizations gathered from across the district, the Sangrur administration finally released 31 assistant professors and librarians jailed in Sangrur Jail late yesterday evening. The front members present outside the jail, along with public and democratic organizations, continued the protest at Verka Milk Plant Sangrur demanding the cancellation of false cases filed against jailed colleagues and women colleagues, unconditional release of jailed colleagues and a panel meeting.
After their release yesterday, the assistant professors and librarians who reached the ongoing protest near the milk plant were given a grand welcome by garlanding them. The front's state delegation has also scheduled a meeting with the education secretary in Chandigarh on December 9. They raised slogans against Aam Aadmi Party government.
Bowing to the front's struggle, the Sangrur administration unconditionally released the jailed comrades on December 5 night and gave a written assurance of a meeting with the education secretary on the 9th. Today, the front members have a meeting with Education Minister Harjot Bains and a meeting with the education secretary has been scheduled for December 9. The leaders said that if these meetings remain inconclusive and the remaining 411 comrades are not sent to colleges soon, then the 1158 front will intensify its struggle in the coming days.
Yesterday, a program was drawn up to hold a protest march towards the SSP office by assistant professors and librarians along with fraternal organizations, but before that, police officers including SDM Charanjot Singh Walia reached the spot. They assured the protesters that the process for the release of the jailed comrades is underway and they will be released soon. Despite the administration's assurance, the protesters remained at the milk plant and when they were not released till evening, they staged a protest on the road and started shouting slogans against the Punjab government. Finally, under the pressure of the struggle, all 31 people, including the three death-row comrades, were released from Sangrur jail late in the evening.
On this occasion, the leaders of the front, Paramjit Singh, Munish Kumar, Jaskaran Singh and Daljit Kaur, said that if they had not been released yesterday, 28 other comrades who were in jail since December 6 would have also started a fast to death. They said that on December 3 in Sangrur, 1158 recruited professors and librarians who were peacefully sitting on a fast to death in front of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's house were detained by the police and kept in detention overnight in different police stations. 31 male professors were kept in two different police stations and 9 female professors were kept under strict detention in Sherpur police station. All their phones were confiscated. Despite the requests of the female professors, their homes were not even informed. The next day, the female professors were presented at the Dhuri S. D. M. office and forced to sign bail bonds by falsely accusing them of rioting and violence, and their democratic right to talk to a lawyer was curtailed.
The leaders said that 31 male professors were kept in detention in the police station for one night and the next day, without being presented to a magistrate, they were forcibly made to sign in a detained van and put in jail. The fast to death by the first batch of 3 comrades Paramjit Singh, Jaswant Singh and Surinder Chaudhary continued on the third day in jail. Even after being imprisoned, the three comrades continued their fast unto death. Despite some of the male professors in prison suffering from serious illnesses like asthma, ulcers, and diabetes, the administration did not provide them with any facilities.
On this occasion, Democratic Teachers Front Punjab State President Vikram Dev Singh, State Vice President Raghvir Singh Bhawanigarh, District President Sukhwinder Gir, Leaders Megh Raj, Raj Saini, Ravinder Dirba, Kulwant Khanouri, Kamaljit Singh, Dina Nath, Sukhbir Khanouri, Raman Lehra, DTF's Balvir Chand Longowal, Sukhjinder Singh, Kirti Kisan Union State Leader Bhupinder Singh Longowal, District President Jarnail Singh Jahangir, District Secretary Darshan Singh Kunran, President of Zamin Prativi Sangharsh Committee Mukesh Maled, Finance Secretary Bikkar Singh Hathoa, Punjab Students Union State Leader Sukhdeep Hathan and District President Kamaldeep Kaur Baghapurana, Master Kuldeep Singh of Democratic Rights Sabha, Mandhir Singh Deol, Basesar Ram, Jujhar Longowal, Kulwinder Bunty, Master Param Ved of Tarksheel Society, Surinder Apart from Pal Upali, Sita Ram Balad Kalan, BKU Dakounda, BKU Krantikari, BKU Ugrahan, other leaders of farmer-laborer and mass democratic organizations were present.