IMPHAL, Feb 19: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Manipur State Unit, has demanded the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to resign immediately for failing to redress the grievances of the school teachers who are currently on hunger strike demanding the implementation of 6th revised pay in toto.
Addressing a press conference today at the office of BJP Manipur, the state president of BJP, Sh. Shantikumar Sharma stated that the government school teachers of the state have been deprived of the 6th revised pay by the state government even if the chief secretary has issued an order on January 16, 2010 notifying the implementation of 6th revised pay for the school teachers.
The present state government gives assurances only to appease the agitators but not for implementation in the interests of the people. The 6th revised pay has been assured to the teachers by the Chief Minister but now he declines to implement the 6th revised pay on the ground of poor state resources, the BJP president noted.
He said that the Chief Minister should not have made commitments and assurances which would otherwise hurt the people`™s sentiment. Everything is in turmoil now owing to the failure of the state government and so it is the right time for the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to step down from his chair, Shantikumar enjoined.
He demands the state government to implement the 6th revised pay as soon as possible and ensure proper education to the government school students who have been agitated due to the ongoing impasse between the state government and COTA.
The BJP also decried forced feeding and other undemocratic treatment meted out to the teachers who are presently in the jail.
Meanwhile teachers of Chandel and Thoubal districts while supporting COTA have joined the participated in the COTA hunger strike today. Supporting the protest of COTA hunger strike, 200 teachers from Saitu Gamkajon Sub-Divison and Sadar hills participated in the protest today.
A press release from COTA convenor states that the teachers from Chandel and Thoubal districts are all set to join the protest and subsequently fill up the jails.
More than 9000 teachers will join the protest from all over the state to push for the final demand and it will be in the best interest of the state and for bringing about quality education in the state, the release stated. Further, the union also appeals to the Chief Minister to take a reasonable stance instead of making false statements.
Meanwhile, the teachers of Chandel and Thoubal held a meeting at Chandel Maha Union Higher Secondary and Johnston Higher Secondary School today to chalk out the further course of agitation.
