ANATG protests enters second day

September 28, 2022 59 Views No Comment

Regularisation only after court vacates the order, maintains DoSE

Morung Express News
Kohima | September 28

The peaceful protest of the All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers’ Group (ANATG) -2015 batch entered the second day at the Civil Secretariat amidst the presence of security personnel as teachers gathered again to demand for regularisation of service.

The two-day protest has so far, passed off without any untoward incident. Amidst the protestors who were shouting slogans such as; ‘we want regularisation’, ‘come rain or sunshine we will be here’ etc, were nursing mothers, pregnant women and women with toddlers.

Speaking to the media persons, Bendangtemjem Ozukum, ANATG Spokesperson has requested the government to ‘understand and come to a conclusion’ at the earliest.

“If there is no response from the government at the earliest time possible, then the central team of ANATG could face a situation where we won’t be able to maintain the composure of our members,” he stated.

However, he maintained that ‘it is not at all a threatening message’ reasoning ‘at the end of the day, we are all human beings, and there are certain level of endurance beyond which the human instinct takeover of what we may not even intend to do.’

On the statements issued by the DoSE requesting the ANATG members to resume duties and that absence of will be treated as Dies-non and the principle of No Work, No Pay will be imposed, Ozukum termed it as ‘very unfortunate’ on the part of the government.

“It is not our intention or passion to go for agitation. We didn’t come here merrily or happily. Rather we have to come to ask for something which is genuinely ours. Instead of finding a solution to our demands, it is unbecoming of them,” Ozukum maintained.

“We have no intention of going back. We are here to fight to the last. The appeasement policy cannot go on forever and all we want is regularisation,” he asserted.

When queried, Ozukum concurred that it is aware of the fact that the teachers agitation is jeopardising the ongoing classes and exams. However, he contended that they are left with no option, and was optimistic that the students and parents would understand and bear with them.

Regularisation not possible with Court’s standing order
When media personnel caught up with the Principal Director, Department of School Education, Thavaseelan K at his office, he reiterated on the government’s constraint to regularise the adhoc/contract service of the ANATG.

He also informed that this issue has been taken up the cabinet several times but owing to the High Court standing order on July 28, 2017, the government is unable to process the matter.

Thavaseelan said, only after the court vacates the order, the department will put the matter which will be decide by the Cabinet.

He also requested to teachers to resume their normal duties, reiterating that the government is recording all the absentees which will be treated as Dies-non and the principle of ‘No Work, No Pay’ would be imposed.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/anatg-protests-enters-second-day