Assistant Teachers Clash with Police Over Demands in Jharkhand

On Saturday, police used tear gas and mild lathi-charge to disperse hundreds of assistant teachers protesting near Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence. They demanded equal pay for equal work and government employee status. The state's education minister assured them he would raise their concerns with the chief minister.

On Saturday, police employed tear gas and mild lathi-charge techniques to disperse a group of assistant teachers who had converged on the residence of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to press for their demands, according to an official statement.

The teachers had gathered at Ranchi's Morabadi ground in the morning, aiming to besiege the CM's house. Their primary demands included 'equal pay for equal work' and recognition as government employees. 'Assistant teachers are currently earning between Rs 17,000 and Rs 23,000. We demand equal pay and government employee status,' stated Vikrant Jyoty, an assistant teacher.

Jyoty elaborated that the new pay scale would see an assistant teacher's cumulative salary rise to around Rs 45,000. 'Our demand is simply the implementation of this new pay scale,' he said.

Jyoty also alleged that police used tear gas and lathi-charge to prevent the teachers from nearing the CM's house.

Simultaneously, a delegation of assistant teachers met with state education minister Baidyanath Ram to discuss their demands. The minister assured them that he would bring their issues to the Chief Minister's attention.

(With inputs from agencies.)