Fulfil demands of Gana Sikshaks: Legislators

BHUBANESWAR: Members cutting across partylines on Friday said in the Assembly that the State Government should fulfil the demands of the gana sikshaks who are sitting on a dharna since the last several days.Taking the sense of the House into consideration, Speaker Pradip Amat directed the School and Mass Education Department to take a note of the demands made by the gana sikshaks.Raising the issue during the zero hour, Parsuram Panigrahi (BJD) said that unless the Government fulfilled their demands, the MLAs will no longer be able to come to the House. He said that the agitating gana sikshaks had gheraoed the MLAs in their quarters making it difficult for them to attend the Assembly.Criticising the State Government not keeping the promise made to the gana sikshaks, Panigrahi requested Speaker Pradip Amat to direct the State Government to fulfil their demands. The main demands of the gana sikshaks are regularisation of their services.Panigrahi said that the statement should absorb the gana sikshaks in vacant posts. There are about 53,000 vacancies in teachers’ post, he said.Urging the Speaker to convene an all party meeting to resolve the crisis, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh alleged that the State Government has not kept the words given to the gana sikshas to take a decision on their demand by December 31. He demanded that the State Government should announce the decision by the end of the session.Former minister Padmanabha Behera wanted to know within how many days the State Government will fulfil the demands of the gana sikshaks. The State Government has forgotten the assurance given to them that their demands will be fulfilled through a career advancement policy.Stating that the agitating gana sikshaks are not allowing MLAs to come to the House, Dambarudhar Ulaka (Cong) criticised the State Government for not keeping its promise. Deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Chakradhar Paik demanded a statement from the Minister in this regard. Anup Sai (Cong) said that a resolution should be passed in the House for regularisation of services of the gana sikshaks.