People's Democracy

Brutal Firing on Haryana School Teachers

THE CPI(M) Haryana state committee condemned the killing of a young woman teacher, Raj Rani, in police firing on September 7, 2008. It has conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim. A team of the Party led by state secretary, Inderjit Singh visited the injured guest teachers in the PGI medical college and enquired about their well being. In a press note, the Party said that baseless and sensational distortions are being spread in order to cover up the highly reprehensible behavior of the police.

It is to be recalled here that over 15,000 guest teachers working in many government schools have been fighting for regularisation for the past two years. They have got the support of regular teachers organisations saying that after fulfilling the SC quota these teachers may be considered for absorption as they are working for the past two - three years. Even the government had agreed in principle on this demand . But it suddenly backtracked and refused to negotiate .This led to resentment among these teachers and they wanted the chief minister himself to listen to them on the fateful Sunday of September 7, 2008 although he was in the town.

The Party questioned the decision of the administration not to allow the procession to proceed further although there were neither prohibitory orders in force nor any violent provocation. In view of the entire conduct of the police, only an impartial judicial inquiry can bring out the truth, it said.

Inderjit Singh expressed utter disappointment over chief minister�s announcement of Rs Two lakh help for the family of the deceased. The Party has called upon all sections of the people to intensify the protest actions all over the state so that such brutalities are not repeated and democratic rights are defended.

STFI

School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) condemned the brutal firing on guest teachers by Haryana police. More than three thousand guest teachers were in a peaceful demonstration demanding regularisation and to achieve other long pending demands. Without any provocation from the teachers and any caution from the police, the police of Haryana started firing on the demonstrating guest teachers. One lady teacher died on the spot and another male teacher was very seriously injured. More than one hundred teachers were injured in the police firing.

STFI strongly condemns the police firing on the struggling teachers and demands the chief minister of Haryana to order a judicial enquiry on the police firing, to take serious action against the police of Haryana and to give compensation to the affected teachers. STFI also demands the chief minister of Haryana to settle by negotiation with the struggling teachers� organisations.

School Teachers Federation of India requests all the state affiliates to organise rallies and demonstrations immediately condemning the firing incident.

AIDWA

AIDWA strongly condemns the police firing and violent lathi charge on �guest� teachers in Rohtak, Haryana during a peaceful demonstration and rally demanding regularisation and redressal of other long pending grievances. The majority of the teachers were women who had been raising their voice for their legitimate demands since long.

AIDWA is deeply shocked by the killing of one young teacher, Raj Rani, in the police firing. The outrageous denials issued to cover up the police action have been thoroughly exposed by the post mortem report which clearly indicates that the rubber bullets used by the police were the cause of death. Many other teachers have been badly injured in the brutal lathi charge, and have had to be hospitalised. The atrocious behaviour of male policemen who used sexist and obscene language against the female teachers is highly objectionable, and constitutes sexual harassment under the Visakha judgement.

AIDWA demands severe action against the police for firing on unarmed peaceful protestors, and for their sexist attacks. The family of the victim of police firing should be given adequate compensation. Along with compensation, medical treatment for those injured in the lathi charge should be ensured.

The Hooda government should take all necessary steps to ensure that the just demands of the agitating teachers are met at once.

Haryana state AIDWA president Jagmati Sangwan condemned the police excesses especially the worst manner in which women teachers were treated by the male police. She was addressing a press conference at Rohtak accompanied by five women teachers who had received injuries. She said that AIDWA wanted the entire episode to be inquired into by the Women�s Commission also. It was revealed by the injured women victims that the police did not allow them to go near Raj Rani who was profusely bleeding and needed immediate medical aid. Ultimately she died of over bleeding due to a bullet injury.