MCD teachers protest over non payment of due salaries

New Delhi: Three months have passed since MCD teachers in Delhi received their salary. Both Delhi government and MCD claimed that they do not have the money to pay the salary and this situation might continue till the new budget is declared.

The salaries due for three months were not cleared. The patience of teachers finally gave in and they started holding peaceful protests from 24^th December.

Teachers protested at the CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence on 30^th December. Then the protest moved to Jantar Mantar on 2^nd and 3^rd January where police used water cannons to disperse them.

Radhey Shyam Sharma, a teacher at Nangloi under the North MCD said that they do not have any issue with police or anyone. He said police is doing its job. All they want is their hard earned salary.

Most of the teachers are middle-class people who are working to feed their family and fulfill other basic needs like the school fee of children, bank loans.

It is a case of the political struggle. AAP is in the government in Delhi and BJP is in power in the MCD. With next MCD election to take place in 2017, both parties are playing the politics and teachers are the victim of it.

Radhey Shyam Sharma added that they just want their salary. He appealed that teachers should not be made the scapegoat of the tussle between the political parties. Because the job of teaching affects the future of the country. If teachers will keep protesting when will they teach?

The fiasco comes at a time when the Arvind Kejriwal's government passed the bill to increase the salaries of Delhi MLAs and said that MPs salary should also be increased. The government needs to answer this that would they have been what they are today without their teachers?

The government needs to answer this that would they have been what they are today without their teachers?

Teachers are holding the protest peacefully, the worst thing is that there has been no assurance from the government or the MCD on clearing the dues. All the government officials are getting their salaries but when it comes to a teacher, the government has run out of funds. Teachers also showed disappointment at the media for ignoring the incident completely.

Radhey Shyam Sharma further added that there are no arrears or bonuses, no DAs given in last three years to the teachers.

What is this new culture in India that a common person has to go to Jantar Mantar and protest for the most basic things every time?

Teachers deserve the respect as they make the future leaders, doctors, engineers and all kinds of professionals a country need. Alexander the great once said "I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well".

If the teachers are treated this way then it will discourage future students to take up teaching as a profession. A person needs financial support to live his life and a teacher is no different.

Today around 1000 teachers are protesting at Rohini and government needs to take some steps to resolve this issue and provide teacher salaries.