Primary Teachers & Police Set For Face-Off On Bhubaneswar Streets Tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The police and primary teachers are set for face-off on Bhubaneswar street on Wednesday. Even as the Commissionerate Police has denied permission to the teachers to stage dharna at Lower PMG in the city, the latter has decided to go ahead with its strike plan.

According to sources, around 1.5 lakh teachers under the banner of United Primary Teachers Federation coming from across the state will land at the busy Lower PMG to stage dharna in support of their 3-point charter of demands.

Though the district education officers had issued strict instructions to the primary teachers not to join the protest in view of ongoing Matriculation examinations, the teachers have decided to participate in the dharna while the Assembly is in session.

On the other hand, the Commissionerate Police, in an official letter to Gopal Kishore Sen, steering committee member of the Federation, rejected their application seeking permission for the dharna at Lower PMG.

“Your organisation had obtained permission from this office on 27.11.2022 for the congregation of 2,500 teachers to participate in dharna at Lower PMG. However, your turnout was more than 40,000 which caused traffic congestion, inconvenience to passengers and the general public in and around Master Canteen and Railway Station area and blockage of all the roads,” said the letter issued by DCP, Bhubaneswar.

“As HSC Examination is going on, students may face problems in appearing for the examination. In view of this, your application for permission to conduct dharna at Lower PMG on Wednesday is rejected,” the DCP said.