Puri: Hundreds of school and college teachers, staff and parents took out a Padayatra from Pipili to Bhubaneswar protesting compulsory submission of a proposed affidavit for grant-in-aid introduced by the state government. The affidavit though promises to give financial benefits, also prevents teachers from staging any kind of protests in future.
The protesters began their march from Gundicha Temple in Puri yesterday. After an overnight stay at Pipili, they resumed the Padayatra heading towards Bhubaneswar. The agitators under the banner of Odisha School College Teachers' and Employees United Forum will congregate at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar today to raise their issues.
They alleged that they have been asked to sign an affidavit to get financial benefits but it also comes with a rider stating that once submitted, the affidavit will prevent teachers from staging any kind of protest in future.
Forum convenor Golak Nayak, speaking to media, targeted Pandian holding him responsible for the silence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the block grant issue. He also blamed Additional Chief Secretary GVP Sharma and said, “When the block grant was abolished, we thanked the CM. But later, the Additional Chief Secretary, who is in charge of the Higher Education Department and some of his associates hatched a conspiracy to bring this ‘affidavit system’.” .
Convenor Prakash Mohanty also slammed a non-Odia IAS officer for not understanding the needs of the State and stated that the proposed affidavit for grant-in-aid is nothing less than suicide.
The agitating teachers have also warned to boycott the ensuing Matric and Plus-II examinations if the Government does not roll back the proposed affidavit for grant-in-aid. They also threatened to take out anti-government rallies during Bijepur bypoll.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Ananta Das has urged the the teachers to withdraw their protests.
"They do not have any demands but have only challenged the procedure of affidavit system. Any changes to that will have to implemented after discussions with Law, Finance department, Development Commissioner, Ministers and Secretaries of our Higher Education and School and Mass Education departments," he said.