Nagaland adhoc teachers quash government’s offer; to continue hunger strike

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Oct. 1 (EMN): The members of the All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers’ Group (ANATG) -2015 batch on Saturday decided to submit a representation ‘denouncing’ the agreement made by the government officials and ANATG delegation, and will continue its hunger strike.

The decision to quash the government’s offer through a representation was taken after the agitating adhoc teachers held a series of discussion at Solidarity Park, Kohima on Saturday.

The adhoc teachers have been staging a sit-in since Monday, demanding the government to regularise their services. The protest entered the sixth day on Saturday and the second day of hunger strike.

It was informed that the ANATG will take a day or two to submit its representation to the state government, and in the meantime continue the hunger strike, including on Sunday after a short prayer service.

Three teachers (two female and a male), who were on a hunger strike, were taken to hospital after they fell ill on Saturday.

More than 30 members of ANATG are on a hunger strike, while the rest take part in protest at the Solidarity Park.

Earlier during the day, Dr. Kevizakie Rio, Jt. Mission Director Samagra Shiksha, Nagaland, visited the agitating teachers and requested them to call off the strike and “allow” the government to take up the matter.

He requested them to come to an agreement on the decision taken by the government officials and ANATG delegation at Friday’s meeting. He also told them to be practical and come to a logical conclusion.

‘Have faith in the government and whatever had been agreed (at the meeting on Friday) will soon be materialised,’ he said.

The demand of ANATG-2015 batch is a “very serious issue” and therefore the proposal to set up a High Powered Committee (HPC) to address it, he said.

The HPC will be constituted within one month and all the stakeholders will be included in the committee, it was informed.

Project Coordinator, The Lighthouse (NECTAR), Visato Koso, who is also the advisor to All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA), told the gathering that their demand for regularisation of service was the “top priority” of the department.

He also ensured that the HPC would prove “fruitful” as it will be an “independent” study and headed by top bureaucrats with the main purpose of finding an “independent solution” to the issue.

A member of ANATG who attended the meeting also conveyed that there was “no negotiation” and “no compromising” with regard to the service regularisation during the discussion on Friday and was “not against us (adhoc teachers) but for us”.

The HPC, which will consist of commissioners, secretaries and all the stakeholders, will not take any decision without consulting the ANATG, he said. The chief secretary had assured that HPC would be approved and empowered by the Cabinet, he added.

However, the agitating teachers were adamant on continuing with the protest.

Meanwhile, the president, joint secretary and spokesperson of ANATG-2015 batch tendered their resignation in the wake of the members rejecting the decision taken at the meeting with the government officials, on Friday evening.

However, the members of ANATG refused to accept their resignation at its general body meeting held on Saturday.