Unemployed youth stage protest in Shimla against guest teacher policy

Shimla, Dec 16 (PTI) Enraged over the Himachal Pradesh government's decision to engage guest teachers on period basis, unemployed youth on Monday staged a demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner's office here demanding withdrawal of the guest teacher recruitment policy.

Raising slogans against the state government, members of the 'Shikshit Berojgar Sangh' threatened to gherao Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides laying siege to the Assembly during the Winter Session commencing in Dharamsala on December 18.

Terming the guest teacher recruitment policy approved by the state Cabinet on December 12 "exploitation of the youth", the agitators said it was a betrayal of those who were promised one lakh jobs every year.

On December 12, the Cabinet gave its nod to engage guest teachers in the education department to fill the gaps in vacancy, who will be paid on an hourly basis.

The government has so far given jobs to only 257 persons in the government sector, even as the educated youth have been forced to come on roads, leaders of the Sangh said, adding that the unemployed youth would intensify their agitation and gherao the state secretariat in case the policy is not withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in a statement that the guest teacher policy would help maintain continuity in the teaching and learning process.

In case a regular teacher goes on leave, the services of qualified teachers will be taken so that children's education is not disrupted, the chief minister said.

Reacting to the agitation, Naresh Chauhan, media advisor to the chief minister, claimed that the educated youth are being misguided.

Part-time teachers are being engaged to fill the time gap if some teacher goes on leave, Chauhan said, adding that there is no reason to worry as no regular appointment is being made.

The government is in the process of appointing 6,000 teachers soon, he added.

Meanwhile, the state BJP has accused the Congress government of insulting the educated youth by bringing the guest teacher policy instead of giving regular appointments.

"The Congress backed out of all its promises after coming to power. Instead of giving one lakh jobs every year, the government is playing with the future of the youth by implementing the guest teacher policy," chief spokesperson of state BJP, Rakesh Jamwal, said in a statement on Monday.

"The government has shattered the dreams of the youth by abolishing 1.5 lakh posts and terminating 10,000 outsourced employees. The attitude of the government is not only insensitive, but also unjust. The BJP will fully support the demand of the youth to withdraw the guest teacher policy," he added. PTI BPL ARI