Srinagar, August 05 (KNS): Police have to use force, fire teargas shells and lathicharge to disperse thousands of Rehbaar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers who have converged in Lal Chowk for protesting against education minister Nayeem Akthar’s proposal of fresh screening tests for teachers. Several of the protesting teachers received injuries in the police action, reports said.
Reports added that around 3,000 ReT teachers today assembled in the commercial hub Lal Chowk to denounce the government decision to hold the test. As they tried to march towards civil secretariat, housing the offices of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and of all minister including Akhter, police swung into action and fired teargas shells on protestors. When protestors continued their march amid nauseating smoke of teargas shells, police baton charged them and used coloured water to disperse the mob.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHowever, protestors were regrouping creating a panic like situation in entire Lal Chowk area. Many protestors were injured in the police action.
"All ReTs were selected through a transparent process based on merit. All orders for our selection were issued by the director school education in Srinagar and Jammu. So why should we take a test now. This would be akin to humiliating us," said a protesting ReT teacher.
He added: "It is ironic that the education minister is now questioning our credentials and has used derogatory remarks against us."
There are nearly 65,000 ReTs in Jammu and Kashmir who are paid a consolidated monthly salary of 3,000 rupees for five years before they get regularized. These teachers are selected through a government scheme going on since 2000.