Uttarakhand Cong raises 'Shiksha Mitra' issue in House

DEHRADUN: Following Tuesday's policelathicharge on protesting `Shiksha Mitras' outside the Uttarakhand Assembly inDehradun, opposition Congress raised the issue in the House on Wednesday anddemanded that the rights of these contractual teachers be protected by the BJPgovernment. `Shiksha Mitras' have been protesting since Monday, thebeginning of the winter session of Uttarakhand Assembly, demanding that theirjobs be regularised. Though the opposition MLAs had decided that they wouldboycott the House on Wednesday, the decision was changed on Tuesday eveningafter the episode in which police lathicharged the protesting `Shiksha Mitras'.Leader of opposition Harak Singh Rawat said in the House that "thedignity of these young teachers is our dignity and the dignity of our state",while speaking on the issue under Rule 310.Rawat said that theatrocities meted out on the demonstrating `Shiksha Mitras' were more cruel thanthose committed against Indians by the British during the Raj.AsRawat started to speak on the issue in the Assembly, chief minister BC Khandurirose to leave the House but the leader of opposition asked him to hear him outbefore leaving which the CM obliged.Rawat alleged that the stategovernment was not being run by the chief minister but by bureaucrats. Hedemanded a magisterial inquiry into the "unfortunate incident", free treatmentand compensation for those injured in the lathicharge and a solution for theirproblems.The chief minister told Rawat that the latter should not be"carried away by emotions" and should check out the ground realities and askedhim to speak responsibly.Rawat said that it was the BJP which hadcreated the posts of `Shiksha Mitras' in 2001. "Now, the grievances of theSiksha Mitras is not heard," Rawat added. Education minister MadanKaushik said that a meeting would be held to discuss the issues related to'Shiksha Mitras' on Thursday. "There are 3966 `Shiksha Mitras' in the state andthey are being given an honorarium of Rs 6000 per month," he said adding thatthis was higher than the honorarium paid to `Shiksha Mitras' in Uttar Pradesh,Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.