'5T is now 5D': Opposition mocks Odisha govt over primary teachers’ protest

The overall process of imparting education to students in Odisha has adversely been affected due to the ongoing stir by the primary teachers. It is now for the five days that the primary teachers are staging demonstration seeking fulfillment of their demands that include job regularisation and pay hikes.

Intensifying their agitation, the primary teachers under the banner of the Primary School Teachers’ Association on Wednesday decided to go on leave en masse.

The Opposition parties have also mounted the attack on the Odisha government by terming the ongoing agitation by the primary teachers as ‘justified’. Due to the move by the primary teachers, the education process in around 50,000 schools in the state has been affected.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today mocked the Odisha government by stating that it is not 5T rather 5D as the government has failed to address the grievances of the teachers even after 5 days. Moreover, the party alleged that around Rs 500 crore is being spent on the helicopter use by the 5T Secretary while there is no money left with the state government to pay the teachers.

“The demands of teachers are justified. It is now five days that Odisha government has failed to address the grievances of teachers. They claim that 5T model governance is prevalent in Odisha, but we are seeing that it is 5D as already there has been a delay of 5 days to resolve the grievances of teachers,” said Odisha BJP spokesperson, Anil Biswal.

Biswal further said that the due to the teachers’ agitation, the education system has virtually collapsed and 50,000 schools across the state are now locked.

“Over 1 lakh teachers, who were staging protests, have now gone on mass leave. But the state government has failed to resolve their grievances,” Biswal added.

Senior Congress leader, Narasingha Mishra said, “The state of education has literally collapsed in Odisha. As per the Supreme Court, education means quality education. This means good teachers who are recruited with good pay scale and permanent teachers. In Odisha, nobody can say how many categories of teachers are there. Whatever is being announced by CM Naveen Patnaik, it is being changed subsequently.”

Responding to the Opposition allegations, BJD MLA, Arabinda Dhali said, “The teachers are now on strike over their demands. The Odisha government will review various aspects including the genuineness of the demands and take appropriate steps accordingly.”