Shillong, Oct 6: The Voice of the People Party (VPP), All India Trinamool Congress ( AITC) and KAM on Thursday condemned the use of force by the police against agitating contractual teachers.
The VPP demanded the Minister in-charge Home and Education Lahkmen Rymbui to immediately step down for the unwarranted and excessive use of force against the contractual teachers and depriving them of their right to livelihood.
The party also wanted the removal of police personnel involved in firing tear gas at the agitating teachers for violation of human rights.
In a statement, general secretary of the VPP Dr Ricky A J Syngkon said, “The Minister in charge of Home and Education should take moral responsibility and resign immediately and the police personnel involved in this inhuman be booked as this is an utter violation of human rights.”
“The violent act committed against the contractual teachers on the 6th October, 2022 by this insensitive and corruptible MDA government is highly condemnable by one and all that are part and parcel of a civil society other than those in a barbaric world,” he said.
The VPP said the government had taken a decision not to entertain the case of the contractual teachers thereby depriving them of their livelihood overnight which is an oppression against the nation builders.
He said the government has miserably failed in managing this issue by not coming up with an alternative solution but to force the poor contractual teachers to the streets.
,“If the CM, Deputy CM and other ministers can undertake a junket tour abroad why can’t they meet the agitating teachers? Finally, this oppressive government has cowardly put a nail on the coffin by tear gassing the peaceful teachers as if they are hooligans.”
AITC stand
The Opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) state president Charles Pyngrope pointed out that the MDA government is mistreating the protesting teachers.
Pyngrope said it was very sad to hear about the incident that took place outside the secretariat where teachers and their families were protesting.
“I feel that the government should have behaved or acted in a more humane manner in dealing with such situations; especially, when the families of the teachers were also present. This action of the government is deplorable, to say the least. My heart goes out to the families of the teachers and their children who had to go through this trauma of being tear-gassed by the police. I would like to see that such actions in future do not occur irrespective of the situation that is created,” he said.
KAM Meghalaya
KAM Meghalaya also condemned the use of excessive force by the police against the protesting contractual teachers.
KAM leader Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh, who was with the teachers, told reporters that there should be an independent judicial inquiry into the matter.
In a separate statement, KAM leader Angela Rangad said that the excessive use of force is unwarranted and highly condemnable.
Anyone who is involved in the excessive use of force and high handedness should be punished as per law, she said.
She also asserted the need to have a judicial inquiry into the incident.
“It is also a matter of grave violation of human rights against women as there were no women police present and women were man handled by the police. The women’s commission should also take cognisance and inquire into this”, Rangad said.
