Kolkata, February 10 Para-teachers in West Bengal held a demonstration on Tuesday demanding a pay hike, and clashed with police personnel during the protest near the state education department headquarters here.
Around 500 members of the ‘Sangrami Sikshak Mancha’, a platform of para-teacher organisations in the state, marched from Karunamoyee in Salt Lake area and were prevented from proceeding towards Bikash Bhavan, the state education department headquarters.
The protesting para-teachers were seen clashing with police personnel and squatting on the road demanding a meeting with State Education Minister Bratya Basu, but their request was denied.
“The police cited prohibitory orders in the area. I am curious as to why the administration is preventing a five-member delegation from meeting the minister or other senior officials to submit our list of demands,” said Bijon Naskar, a member of the organisation.
He stated that para-teachers were being paid between Rs 9,000 and Rs 10,000 per month.
“We demand that it be raised to at least Rs 15,000. The Rs 1,000 increase in the state's vote on account is insufficient.”
There are over 50,000 para-teachers in the state in over 67,000 primary and upper primary schools.
