Teachers' unions staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in Patiala on Tuesday, demanding the arrest of a man accused of assaulting a booth-level officer (BLO) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty. The protest was led by the Democratic Teachers' Front, Government Teachers' Union, and Punjab State Subordinate Services Federation.
Details of the Assault
According to the protesters, Harpreet Singh, an ETT teacher posted at Government Primary School, Nawan Rakhra, was allegedly attacked by a resident at Anand Nagar-B on Monday while carrying out voter list revision work. The protesters alleged that the accused abused and assaulted the teacher without any provocation. The incident has sparked outrage among teacher unions, who termed it a serious attack on a government employee performing official duties.
Administration's Response
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban) Navreet Kaur Sekhon met the protesters and accepted a memorandum from them. She assured them that the accused would be arrested soon and adequate security would be provided to employees engaged in SIR duties. However, the teachers remained skeptical and warned of intensified protests if their demands were not met.
Broader Concerns Over Non-Teaching Assignments
The teachers also raised concerns over what they described as the burden of multiple non-teaching assignments, including anti-drug campaigns and socio-economic census work. They demanded that teachers be relieved of additional duties so that they could focus on academic responsibilities. The unions argued that such assignments divert teachers from their primary role and compromise the quality of education.
Warning of Escalation
The activists warned that if the administration failed to address their demands and ensure employees' safety, the organisations would intensify their protest. They also called for strict action against the accused to set a precedent that attacks on government employees will not be tolerated. The protest highlights ongoing tensions between teachers and the administration over workload and safety concerns during election-related duties.
