Srinagar, August 16: At last the politicians seem to be taking interest into the problems of contractual lecturers who observed their 19th day of hunger strike in Srinagar on Tuesday.
 Two mainstream politicians, including a cabinet minister, visited the striking teachers at Press Enclave here today to express solidarity with them.
 The first to meet them was State’s Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir. Conveying his solidarity with the protesting teachers he advised them, to leave the path of “confrontation” and hold talks with the Government.
 Mir said he would vigorously pursue their genuine demands.
 “I don’t have any mandate from the State Government but being a son of the soil I appeal you to shun the path of confrontation and negotiate with the Government as dialogue is only way-out to resolve all outstanding issues,” Mir told them.
  “The rigid and stubborn approach would lead us nowhere and you should also understand that Government too has its own compulsions,” Mir said.
 Member of the Legislative Assembly Kulgam M Y Tarigami also met the contractual teachers,  he assured them that he would raise their demands with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah this evening.
 Addressing the protesting lecturers Tarigami said the Government’s policy of pitting unemployed educated youth against each other would have serious ramifications.
 “By doing alternate arrangements, they are triggering a social conflict,” he said, adding that prolonging of the issue would further aggravate the problem.
 JK College Contractual Teachers Association (JKCCTA), Dr Muhammad Maqbool Bhat said they would respond to the assurance of the visiting politicians.
 “Our central committee will meet at 10 pm at press colony and would conduct an emergency meeting to decide the future course of action,” Bhat said. “We have been assured by the visiting leaders they would plead our cause. We would see what they will be getting for us. Tarigami Sahab has told us that he will discuss our issue with the chief minister”.
 Bhat alleged that the Government has so far deceived them.
 “The minister for education says he would address the demands. Commissioner Secretary higher education Tanveer Jahan says she won’t concede to a single demand. These are deceiving tactics,” he said.
 Till date 25 teachers have been admitted in different hospitals who were suffering from dehydration and other ailments due to no eating.
 The lecturers went on strike on June 27 while as they started observing hunger strike on 27 July onwards. There are 35 representatives representing 35 colleges who are observing hunger strike at Press Colony here.
 The lecturers area demanding a change in the nomenclature; monthly wages equivalent to the basic salary of the post they are holding; one time exemption in NET/SET; and end to the new norm of six classes per day.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST