Despite agreement, hunger-strike to continue

October 1, 2022 61 Views No Comment

• Teachers, ANATG officials dispute over signed agreement
• Final decision on govt’s proposal today

Morung Express News
Kohima | October 1

Following a five-and-a-half hour meeting between the Commissioner & Secretary School Education and the All Nagaland Ad-hoc Teachers Group (ANATG-2015) central team and All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) officials, and another meeting with the Chief Secretary today at the Secretariat, Kohima a decision had been taken to call off the hunger strike.

However, the decision was met with stiff opposition from the teachers, when ANSTA president, Kashito Sumi announced it to the ANATG members who were gathered at Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima.

The signed agreement between the officials was that the government would form a High Powered Committee within a month’s time, who would study the Uma Devi case and submit its report to the government with a time frame of one year. And the terms and conditions is that the teachers would call off the agitation which has continued since Monday.

Sumi maintained that the decision was arrived at after “thorough deliberation in consultation with various stakeholders and in the best interest of ANATG members, particularly our students back home.”

While appreciating the agitating teachers for their display of discipline during their course of agitation, he reminded the teachers of their responsibilities as teachers to the students, and the society.

He informed the members of the Uma Devi case as one of a kind in India and that the HPC will find ways and means to override the case, and will make every effort to regularize the 1166 ad-hoc teachers.

“The decision was taken after knocking at every ways and means to come to a certain conclusion, and this I feel is very good for all of us. It is good as getting regularized,” said Sumi trying to convince the disgruntled teachers.

He also assured the teachers not to be disheartened with the decision as ANSTA was, is, and will be with them and ensure that their service is regularized although it may take some time.

However, this announcement and assurance was met with dissent. ‘No more negotiation, only regularization; for how long will we wait; will be the government compensate our wasted years?’ were some of the cries echoing at the Park.

Speaking on behalf of the members, one of the teachers, while thanking the ANSTA for their support and trying to bring a solution, candidly asked them to convey their (1166 teachers) message to the government that, “we are not satisfied and will not accept the decision and we will not go home till our service is regularized.”

Another teacher asserted, “We are not accepting the decision taken tonight,” adding that all the members will, from now on, go on a hunger strike for how long it takes. This was met with shout of agreement from all the members present.

He also expressed his unhappiness with the ANATG officials maintaining that any decision should be taken in consultation with the members. “We should take the decision together, the members should at least be consulted before the decision,” he stated.

Then, he also went on to question as to who will take the responsibility for one of the woman hunger-strike volunteers who was hospitalized today- “The government or the officials?” he asked.

As for now, the teachers and the officials continue to be at loggerheads and the hunger-strike will continue, before a final decision is taken on Saturday morning after a general meeting.

Mention may be made that several well-wishers have extended support to the group and have contributed both material and monetary assistance during the protests which is now in the fifth day.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/despite-agreement-hunger-strike-to-continue