SANGRUR: Punjab’s computer teachers have been struggling for the past six months regarding their demands, but the Punjab government is only making false promises. The government's negligence in restoring the rights of computer teachers has led to massive outrage among them.
In the state-level meeting of the Computer Teacher Hunger Strike Struggle Committee, Punjab, discussions were held regarding future strategies. During this meeting, prominent teacher leaders Paramveer Singh Pammi, Pradeep Kumar Maluka, Joni Singla, Nardeep Sharma, Sushil Angural, Jaspal, Gurbaksh Lal, Lakhwinder Singh, Udham Singh Dogra, Rakesh Saini, Ranjit Singh, and Rajwant Kaur stated that several meetings had taken place over the past six months with Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, but they yielded no results. Every time, teachers were only given false assurances.
The teacher leaders revealed that meetings were held on February 3 and 4 with the Principal Secretary (Finance Department), where discussions took place regarding the implementation of unrevised DA or the Sixth Pay Commission. Officials had assured that the notification would be issued within two days, but to date, no orders have been released. Due to this, the angry teachers organized a state-level rally outside the Education Department office in Mohali on February 17. Following this, the administration scheduled a meeting with the Finance Minister and Education Minister on February 20, but when the teachers arrived in Chandigarh, the meetings were suddenly canceled at the last moment.
They accused the government of continuously ignoring the demands of computer teachers, who have been on a hunger strike in Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s hometown, Sangrur, for the past six months. The government’s own political decision to merge computer teachers into the Education Department is not being implemented due to bureaucratic pressure. This has led to widespread anger among teachers across the state, who are calling it an insult to democracy.
The Struggle Committee has unanimously decided to hold a state-wide protest rally on March 2 outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Sangrur. This protest will include not only computer teachers but also various teacher organizations, employee federations, student unions, as well as farmer and labor organizations. The leaders have made it clear that if the government does not fulfill their demands soon, the movement will be intensified, and the full responsibility will lie with the Punjab government and the concerned department.