Extension lecturers stage peaceful protest against Haryana Govt. , demand regularization
Demokratic Front, Panchkula , 02 October :
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Extension Lecturers working in various government colleges of Haryana, had given a call for a huge protest and protest march in Panchkula regarding their demands, but the government and Panchkula administration forcefully stopped them from holding the peaceful protest and the protest march. While expressing their anger the lecturers said that they had informed the Deputy Commissioner Panchkula about the protest to be held in Sector 5 Panchkula, preparations for which were going on for the last several days. He said that thousands of extension lecturers and their families had supposed to gather at the protest site today, but due to the dictatorial attitude of the government, the extension lecturers were not allowed to gather in Sector 5 Panchkula.
Hundreds of lecturers were forcefully packed in buses and were dropped at different locations far away from city.
He said that the extension lecturers who escaped arrest, gathered in the park near Mata Mansa Devi temple and raised slogans against the ruling government.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Charan Singh Grover said that the number of extension takers working in government colleges of Haryana is around 2000, out of which around 1200 are women. He said that all the extension lecturers have been working on honorarium for only 150 to 250 per lecture from 2010 to 2017 and supported the government in times of crisis. He said that the extension lecturers gave the most progressive moments of their lives to the government, but whenever the extension lecturers raised their voice for their legitimate rights from the government, the government and the department only gave assurances. He further added that extension lecturers have saved the government’s budget worth hundreds of crores of rupees by working on very low honorarium.
He said that now about 40 percent of the working extension lecturers cannot even fill the regular government job form because they have crossed the age limit mandatory for filling the form.
On this occasion, Dr. Sumer Singh said that from time to time, the governments of Haryana and other states have always regularised the contractual employees. He said that the government in power should also immediately accept the demand for regularization of extension lecturers.
On this occasion, Dr. Ishwar Singh said that extension lecturers are imparting education to about 6 lakh students in all the government colleges of Haryana and all of them have valid qualification, hence, the government must immediately accept our demands.
On this occasion, Dr. Saroj Dahiya said that all the extension lecturers have been recruited through merit after giving interviews in a proper manner, so the government should also fulfill the demand of extension lecturers immediately by fulfilling the slogan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. He said that their demands include regularization, arrears from January 2016 to 2019 and state level seniority.
On behalf of the administration, ACP Ram Kumar intervened and spoke to the sloganeering extension lecturers. He conveyed that a meeting of the delegation of the lecturers was scheduled for October 3 with Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar.
Hundreds of people including Jyoti Yadav, Basau Ram Sodhi, Tanjhum, Atma Ram, Saroj, Rampal were present on this occasion.