Bhubaneswar: Thousands of primary school teachers from various parts of the state were preparing to gather at Lower PMG on Friday to stage a protest. Many teachers from different districts had already reached Bhubaneswar by Thursday night. However, since other organizations had already occupied the protest site, the Commissionerate Police denied permission for the protest, citing a lack of adequate space for around 20,000 teachers.
Educational Information
Former opposition leader Mohan Charan Majhi had previously participated in a teachers’ protest and assured them that once his government came to power, teachers would no longer have to protest on Gandhi Marg. However, even after eight months of the new government, teachers are still forced to protest at Lower PMG. He claimed that attempts were being made to suppress the movement but stated, “We will not sit back. In the coming days, this teachers’ movement will reach the Chief Minister and the main policymakers.”
Various teachers’ organizations have opposed the Commissionerate Police’s decision. Sukanta Kumar Behera, the general secretary of Alocha, stated that the police had taken away their fundamental right to protest. He announced that in the future, the movement would shift from the capital to villages, involving teachers, parents, and students to strengthen the education system and uphold their rights.
According to sources, the Primary Teachers’ Association had applied for protest permission as early as the 5th of this month for a demonstration on the 14th from 10 AM onwards. However, no permission was granted until the day of the protest, and authorities outright refused to approve it at the last moment. The association alleged that the previous government had also attempted to suppress teachers’ protests in a similar manner.