Protesting educators in Delhi, Gujarat detained by police on Teachers' day

By Our Representative

In a statement that highlights ongoing concerns about Indian democracy and the perceived disregard for education, the Federation of Central University Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA) has condemned the Delhi Police's decision to prevent teachers and students from marching from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar. The march was organized in protest against the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its detrimental effects on education.

"On a day dedicated to honoring teachers, senior educators and students were forcibly detained by law enforcement to suppress their protest," FEDCUTA declared. The federation emphasized that this incident underscores the challenges faced by educators in voicing their dissent against government policies threatening the integrity of public education.

Among those detained were FEDCUTA President Moushumi Basu and past leaders Nandita Narain, DK Lobiyal, and Rajib Ray, who reported being apprehended before participants had fully gathered. "The actions of the Delhi Police validate the motives behind the Teacher-Student Unity March on Teachers' Day, promoting solidarity among those dedicated to education and opposing the erosion of the nation’s future through the degradation of high-quality public education accessible to all," FEDCUTA stated.

In a related development, the All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) reported similar detentions in Gujarat on September 5, which is marked as Teachers' Day in memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Several teachers advocating for permanent employment were arrested by Gujarat police amid ongoing protests for permanent recruitment, which has not taken place since 2018.

Despite passing the Teacher Eligibility Test-Teacher Aptitude Test (TET-TAT), these prospective educators attempted to voice their concerns to the Chief Minister and the Education Minister in Gandhinagar but were met with resistance from law enforcement. AIDSO spokesperson Rimmi Vaghela expressed outrage, stating, "The detention of aspiring teachers on Teachers' Day is a disgrace to the education sector."

The organization has highlighted that the current education framework in Gujarat predominantly relies on contract-based teachers, known as Gyansahayaks, rather than providing stable, permanent positions.

Comments

Manmade disaster? Infrastructure projects in, around Vadodara caused 'devastating' floods

Counterview Desk In a letter to local, Gujarat, and Indian authorities, several concerned citizens* have said that there has been devastating flood and waterlogging situation in Vadodara region since Monday 26th August 2024 which was "avoidable", stating, this has happened because of "multiple follies, flaws and fallacies across all levels of governance."

'300 Nazis fell by your gun': Most successful female sniper in history

By Harsh Thakor* "Miss Pavlichenko’s well known to fame, Russia’s your country, fighting is your game. The whole world will always love you for all time to come, Three hundred Nazis fell by your gun." — from Woody Guthrie's “Miss Pavlichenko"

Labeled as social lending, peer-to-peer system is fundamentally profit-driven

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak The Sumerian civilisation, one of the earliest known societies, had sophisticated systems of lending, borrowing, credit, and debt. These systems were based on mutual trust and social currency, allowing individuals to engage in economic transactions without the need for physical money or barter. Instead, social bonds and communal trust underpinned these interactions, facilitating trade and the distribution of resources.

Researchers note 'severe impact' of climate change on potability of groundwater

By Vikas Meshram* Climate change is having a profound impact on various natural resources, and groundwater is a significant one that is currently under threat. Rising temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and increasing pressure from human activities are deteriorating groundwater quality. This article delves into the effects of climate change on the potability of groundwater, the causes, and potential solutions.

TU activist Anirudh Rajan, lawyer Ajay Kumar in custody: Wounded reputation of world's largest democracy?

By Vedika S* Over the last few days, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA), known to be tasked with suppressing revolutionary, democratic, and progressive forces, conducted a series of raids across Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Targets included human rights attorney Pankaj Tripathi, student leader Devendra Azad, and peasant union leader Sukhwinder Kaur. Lawyer and anti-displacement activist Ajay Kumar was arrested and taken to his home in Mohali, which was subsequently raided. He is now imprisoned in Lucknow as a suspect in the NIA's "Northern Regional Bureau (NRB) Revival case."

'No to risky 11,000 MW hydroelectric project': Call to protect Siang river

Beverly Longid, Jiten Yumnam* The civil rights network, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), has voicesd its support for the residents of Siang District, Northeast India, as they resist the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation's (NHPC) efforts to monopolize the Siang River for its Upper Siang Hydroelectric Project, a massive undertaking proposed at 11,000 MW.

RG Kar saga: Towards liberation from the constraints of rigid political parties?

By Atanu Roy* There's a saying: "There is no such thing as a half-pregnancy." This adage seems particularly relevant when discussing the current regime of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The party appears to be entrenched in widespread corruption that affects nearly every aspect of our lives. One must wonder, why would they exclude the health sector—a lucrative area where illicit money can flow freely, thanks to a network of corrupt leaders colluding with ambitious bureaucrats?

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Search This Blog