Srinagar: Police Tuesday flexed muscles on Temporary Teachers who were protesting in Srinagar demanding their continuation. At least 12 protesters including two females were injured after policemen resorted to lathi charge when the protesters tried to march towards city centre Lal Chowk.
Reports said that all but 500 to 700 temporary teachers including females assembled at Pratap Park Srinagar and staged a massive protest there. The agitated teachers blamed previous government for compelling highly qualified youth to take to streets in Jammu and Srinagar. They threatened to launch an agitation if government fails to meet their demand of continuation.
Around 8,000 teachers were engaged by the department of education in 2014 on merit basis, but their services were discontinued merely after a month. The Government violated its own Cabinet order and cheated us, a protesting teacher said.
The protesters were stopped by police when they tried to march towards Clock Tower Lal Chowk. When they continued to protest, the police personnel thrashed them with sticks leaving scores of protesters injured. Two female protesters were also injured. Police also arrested 16 protesters and lodged them in police station Kothi Bagh.
Criticizing the police action, Temporary Teachers Association said that it is irony that peaceful protesters are treated like cattle and are being roughed up for a just cause. (CNS)