Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, July 16:
Police today detained scores of teachers and used water cannons and charged batons on them to foil their Lal Chowk march.
Hundreds of Government teachers under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF) assembled near the Exhibition Crossing to carry out march to Lal Chowk to press for their demands. The protesters were led by JKTF Chairman, Abdul Qayoom Wani.
A contingent of police that had been placed at the Exhibition Crossing and adjacent areas tried to stop the protesters which led to altercation between the two sides with exchange of words taking place. Near the Jehangir Chowk the police personnel lobbed water cannons on the protesters to disperse them.
Some of the protesters re-assembled and started marching towards the Lal Chowk area. Police swung into action and wielded sticks on the protesting teachers.
The police detained scores of teachers including the JKTF Chairman, whowere lodged at Shaheed Gunj, Kothi Bagh and Karan Nagar police stations and later released in the evening.
The call for the march towards Lal Chowk had been given by JKTF in support of their demands. These include inclusion of five years contractual service of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers in the service book, regularization of education volunteers after seven years and inclusion of 15 years’ service of migrant substitute teachers from 1991 to 2006 in the service records.
Besides Abdul Qayoom Wani, scores of other teachers were detained who included Ghulam Rasool Bhat, Peer Nisar Ahmad, Mohammad Ashraf Wani, Mohammad Rafiq Rather, Javed Ahmad Allaie and Mohammad Akbar Dar.
Meanwhile, the JKTF while condemning the police action said that the next phase of protest would be decided during an executive meeting to be held in this week.
The JKTF Chairman said that the Forum is open to dialogue adding that Government should come forward and break the ice by entering into parleys with the protesting teachers.
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