The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Teachers gherao two Ministers

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Saturday, Feb 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Teachers gherao two Ministers

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI. Feb. 11. Irate members of the United Teachers Federation (UTF) today mobbed the School Education Minister, N. Rajyalakshmi, and shouted slogans denouncing her attitude towards their charter of demands.

There was a mild commotion at the spot when the agitationists and the local MLA, M. Venkatramana, got into an altercation over the `unruly' behaviour of teachers. The situation was, however, diffused with the police quickly moving in and dispersing the agitationists.

Meanwhile, the three-day annual convention of the UTF which began here today came down heavily on the Minister for backtracking on their demands.

Our Staff Reporter from Nizamabad writes: Teachers under the banner of the Upadyaya Sanghala Porata Samithi gheraoed the Minister for Transport, S. Santhose Reddy, at the Roads and Buildings guest house here on Friday. They encircled the Minister and shouted slogans demanding early solution to their long-pending charter of six demands. They warned of laying a siege to the Legislative Assembly on February 16 if the Government failed to concede to their demands by that time.

Act fast, says TDP

Our Hyderabad Reporter writes: Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has lashed out at the Government for not following up a proposal to seek Presidential assent for localisation of services of panchayat raj teachers on a par with Government teachers. This had provoked teachers associations to intensify their agitation now on the eve of public examinations.

The TDP general secretary, Kadiam Srihari, told reporters here on Friday that the High Court had struck down a common integrated seniority list of panchayat raj and Government teachers in September 2003 because the services of the former were not localised and the latter were treated as local cadre.

The situation called for modification of GOs 505 and 538, treating both categories of teachers on a par to give teeth to the common integrated seniority list, and referring the same to the President for permission.

Six months had lapsed since the modification was referred to the Centre but there was no response.

This had agitated the teachers associations. With the SSC examination due in March-April and the revision of the syllabi to take place this month, the threat by teachers to organise a "chalo Assembly'' on March 16 was not a good sign. This could affect the preparation of the students.

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