People's Democracy

MADHYA PRADESH

Thousands Of Siksha Karmis Descend On Delhi Seeking Justice

FOR long siksha karmis of Madhya Pradesh (teachers who are given the status of education workers) have been fighting the government for “Equal pay for equal work” and dignified working conditions. Having failed in realising their demands they have shifted the venue of their struggle from Madhya Pradesh to Delhi. Having lost hundreds of their colleagues due to extreme destitution, these education workers are no longer prepared to live in dire poverty. These education workers numbering over forty thousand descended on Delhi to tell about their plight to all those who matter in the establishment. Their representatives have already met the prime minister who they have narrated story of their extreme destitution. Their representatives have also met the former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP president L K Advani, and Shiv Raj Singh Chauhan to remind them their promise which they had made during the last assembly election.

Last year these education workers had gone on a historic strike of 58 days which forced the state government to accept their demands. However, within months the government backtracked on the agreement it has made with the siksha karmis. This naturally led to tremendous anger among the education workers who again began their struggle for a renewed agreement. Their representatives while meeting the prime minister, stressed that the government should at least stick to the agreements which it has made with them. The representatives of the siksha karmis further suggested that there should be transparency in the whole process of agreement making.

When CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP Sitaram Yechury visited the venue of their struggle, he received a warm welcome. While addressing the thousands of siksha karmis at Jantar Mantar he strongly criticised the attitude of the government towards these teachers and for not honouring the commitment made on the floor of the houses. Yechury suggested that the state government must leave its obstinacy and talk to the siksha karmis to find a permanent solution to their problems. Others who addressed the siksha karmis  on this occasion included CITU Madhya Pradesh state general secretary Badal Saroj and state president of Kisan Sabha Jaswinder Singh. The same day in the evening, a delegation led by Murlidaran Patidar met the prime minister.

The same day a delegation led by Darshan Singh Chaudhary, general secretary of the organisation met former prime minister Vajpayee who also assured an early redressal of their grievances.