Teachers’ Day: ReTs protesting for their ‘rights’ face detentions, batons 

Srinagar, Sep 5: Police on Wednesday foiled the protest march taken out by the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers here on the Teachers’ Day.

Hundreds of ReTs, early in the morning, started assembling in the SK Park here, wearing black dresses and bands.

They raised slogans to demand delinking of their salaries and im plementation of the seventh pay commission.

The protest march, taken out under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers Forum (JKRTTF), saw the presence ReTs from across the valley.

As soon as the rally reached the main gate of the park, police stopped them from moving towards SKICCC.

The protesting ReT teachers showed resistance, following which the police used water cannons and batons to disperse them.

Many protesters detained and lodged in police station, Kothi Bagh.

“Today is a teachers’ day. We have decided not to celebrate as government has failed to address our genuine issue,” Chairman JKRTTF, Farooq Ahmad Tantray, said.

“In protest, we are observing it as a black day, as we have not been given benefits of the seventh pay commission.”

Farooq said they fail to understand as to why the state government has not been implementing the recommendations put forth by the seventh pay commission in their favour.

“Aren’t we employees of state government? How can we manage our living in the meager salaries we are paid?” he questioned.

A protesting ReT, Bashir Ahmad, who had come from Kupwara, said they have been on the streets for the last almost four months.

“We have been protesting four out rights. We even are not paid the salaries on time. To ensure timely disbursement, the government shall pay our salaries from the state budget,” he said.