Over 60 WBPTTA members arrested while taking out rally in support of demands

The rally was headed for Bikash Bhavan, the headquarters of the state education department. WBPTTA president Pintu Parui claimed that 100 association members had gathered in front of the BJP office here to start the march, but were stopped by police and forced to board its vehicles.

Around 68 members of the West Bengal Primary Trained Teachers' Association (WBPTTA) were taken into custody on Tuesday, when they were about to take out a rally from central Kolkata to press for immediate appointment of teachers having completed training and hike in wages. The rally was headed for Bikash Bhavan, the headquarters of the state education department.

WBPTTA president Pintu Parui claimed that 100 association members had gathered in front of the BJP office here to start the march, but were stopped by police and forced to board its vehicles. "We demand immediate appointment of PTTI teachers who had since 2005-06 successfully completed courses at the primary teachers' training institutes of the state that are recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education and affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Primary Education," Parui said.

He alleged that despite repeated assurances of the state government, a large number of such teachers are yet to be recruited with any recognised primary school. "They are mostly called whenever a permanent teacher of some institute goes on leave or in case vacancies remain to be filled up, for years, and at meagre wages," Parui said.

The monthly salary of PTTI teachers is not more than Rs 3,800, another association member said. Parui said they would march to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat if the state did not show any urgency in addressing the demands within 15 days.

Of the 68 arrested, 39 were taken to Lalbazar police headquarters, 16 to Bowbazar police station and another 13 to Hare Street police station, a Kolkata Police officer said. The preventive arrests were made as the association members threatened to block roads on their way to Bikash Bhavan, he said.