In a strong display of dissent, teachers' organisations across Punjab have unanimously rejected the state government's offer of an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of two educators who died while on election duty. The groups have labeled the compensation as "insensitive and discriminatory" and are demanding a substantially higher amount alongside government jobs for the children of the deceased.
Tragic Accident Claims Lives During Election Duty
The unfortunate incident occurred on December 14, when a car carrying two teachers met with a fatal accident. Jaskaran Singh was driving to drop Kanwaljit Kaur for election duty when their vehicle skidded due to dense fog and overturned into a canal in Moga district. Both teachers lost their lives in the tragic mishap.
On the very same day, in a separate but related incident in Sangrur district, a woman teacher identified as Rajvir Kaur sustained serious injuries while travelling for election duty. She is reportedly still undergoing treatment for her injuries.
Teachers' Bodies Escalate Demands and Plan Agitation
Leaders from various teachers' unions have expressed strong resentment over what they perceive as a "lack of sensitivity" from the state government towards employees who die performing official duties. They have put forth a set of clear demands:
- A compensation of Rs 2 crore each for the families of the deceased teachers.
- A written assurance from the government providing jobs for the children of the victims.
The organisations have announced that their struggle will be intensified. A meeting is scheduled to be convened soon to decide the next course of action, with leaders vowing to continue the agitation "until justice is delivered to the affected families."
Allegations of Risky Deployment and Discriminatory Compensation
A key point of contention raised by the teachers is the alleged practice of deploying them to far-off locations for election duty, despite repeated requests for local assignments. They argue that district administrations ignore these pleas, forcing educators to travel long distances in hazardous conditions like the dense fog prevalent at the time of the accident. This, they claim, unnecessarily risks the lives of teachers and their family members who accompany them.
During an online meeting, participants also highlighted a perceived disparity in compensation. They questioned why substantially higher compensation packages are announced in cases involving the deaths of police personnel on duty, while teachers performing government-assigned election duty are offered what they termed a "paltry amount." This comparison has fueled feelings of injustice and discrimination within the teaching community.
The collective of teachers' organisations in Punjab has asserted its commitment to a united struggle. Their goal remains unwavering: to secure what they believe is fair compensation and justice for the families who have suffered an irreplaceable loss while serving the democratic process.
