The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Jobless teachers held for disrupting Congress rally

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Wednesday, Sep 29, 2004

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Jobless teachers held for disrupting Congress rally

KAPURTHALA, SEPT. 28. More than 140 unemployed elementary teachers were arrested today after mild lathi charge as they tried to disrupt the election rally of Congress candidate, Sukhjinder Kaur, which was addressed by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

More than 30 unemployed teachers managed to enter the hall where the election rally was in progress. As the convoy of Chief Minister reached the venue, they started raising anti-government slogans.

The police force that was deployed near the venue immediately swung into action and took them outside the venue. Thereafter, the cops allegedly beat them, tore their clothes and also threw away their turbans. They were then taken to city police station.

The police also arrested more than 100 unemployed teachers who had staged a dharna in the middle of a road near Sainik School.

Former Finance Minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Capt Kanwaljit Singh met the agitating teachers in the city police station and expressed his sympathy with them.

When the mediapersons drew the attention of the Chief Minister towards the police lathi charge and the arrest of the unemployed teachers, the Chief Minister expressed his ignorance about the incident.

He said it was not possible to meet the demands of the agitating unemployed teachers who were demanding ban on the recruitment of teachers on contract system. He added that many state governments had adopted this system and he would follow the same.

SSP S.K. Asthana, when contacted, said about 140 agitating teachers were arrested under sections 283, 341,186 and 149 IPC and were lodged in different police stations. He denied the allegations of lathi charge on the teachers but said they were forcibly taken into police vehicles as they were trying to disturb the public function.

Addressing the election rally, the Chief Minister said it was the Congress government, which had taken stand on the SYL issue by enacting the Punjab Termination of Agreements Act. He claimed that the government made all arrangements for the proper procurement of all the crops of farmers.

The campaign of Congress candidate Sukhjinder Kaur today took a boost when an agreement was reached between the Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar) national president, Devi Dass Nahar, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Punjab Pradesh Congress president H.S. Hanspal to contest the next Assembly election jointly. Talking to mediapersons, the CM said Congress has agreed to contest the next assembly elections in Punjab jointly and would give few seats to BSP (A).

Talking to mediapersons, the CM reiterated that by-election would be a referendum on the performance of state government. -- UNI

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Jobless teachers held for disrupting Congress rally