With several teachers’ organizations and associations observing chair hunger strike in the summer and winter capital of the state while demanding delinking of salaries of SSA and RMSA staff from central budget and benefits of 7th pay commission, the education sector in Rajouri district is expected to remain severely affected on Friday as the teachers have decided to remain on mass casual leave and to attend a demonstration in Jammu.
Hundreds of teachers have submitted casual leave applications before concerned officers, including Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs). “Kindly sanction one day casual leave in my favour on 7th of September as I have to attend chain hunger strike of TJAC and AJKRETF at Press Club Jammu for the demands including pay commission benefits,” a teacher from Government Middle School Saroori wrote in his leave application. He submitted it to the school headmaster, which was then forwarded to ZEO Moughla.
Another female teacher from the same school also submitted a leave application on Thursday, wherein she mentioned that she is attending the hunger strike at Press Club Jammu.
Besides, in a mass casual leave application, signed by 65 headmasters, SSA-RMSA and ReT teachers and submitted to ZEO Office Moughla, it has been written, “It is submitted that all the teachers of this zone (zone Moughla) have to attend the protest at Press Club Jammu in favour of legitimate right of implementation of 7th pay commission in favour of teachers, masters working under RMSA, SSA and delinking of salary with state budget. It is humbly requested o treat all the teachers of zone Moughla (Cluster C1, C2, C3) on mass casual leave.”
In another communication made by district president JKReTTF Rajouri Manzoor Khan to Chief Education Officer Rajouri, it has been mentioned that all ReTs and RReTs as well as head teachers of Rajouri district are going to participate in the state level hunger strike at Press Club Jammu on September 7 against the “delaying attitude of the government to implement 7th pay commission.
“No one wants to hold protests or strikes, but we do not have any other option left. Successive governments have been toying with us,” a teacher said, while wishing anonymity, adding, “I also have submitted an application to the department under mass-casual leave call to attend chain hunger strike in Jammu.”