HC tells govt to respond to petition filed by terminated teachers

It is illegal, Roy Barman toldreporters.The police if required can give some conditions, butthey cannot stop a peaceful protest or demonstration, hesaid.Over 10,000 government school teachers were sackedlast year, in accordance with a 2014 high court order, whichsaid that their recruitment process was a faulty one.

The High Court of Tripura hasserved a notice to the state government to respond to a writpetition filed by the terminated teachers after the TripuraPolice denied them permission to resume their sit-indemonstration in front of Agartala City Centre from February3.

Justice S Talapatra served the notice on Wednesdayasking the state government to respond within March 1, counselfor the terminated teachers, Purushottam Roy Barman toldreporters.

Roy Barman, said it is the fundamental right of thecitizens of India to hold peaceful demonstrations which wasallegedly violated by the police.

''Police denied permission to the teachers on law andorder situation grounds. The teachers were peacefullydemonstrating demanding reinstatement in their jobs, sinceDecember 7 last year, but their tents were forcibly dismantledby imposing section 144 on January 27 this year, when theteachers were sleeping. It is illegal,'' Roy Barman toldreporters.

''The police if required can give some conditions, butthey cannot stop a peaceful protest or demonstration,'' hesaid.

Over 10,000 government school teachers were sackedlast year, in accordance with a 2014 high court order, whichsaid that their recruitment process was a faulty one. TheSupreme Court later upheld the verdict.

Demanding a solution to the crisis, the teachers hadbeen staging a sit-in over the last 52 days before theAgartala City centre in the state capital, but on January 27last year police imposed prohibitory act under 144 CrPC anddeclared the gathering as illegal.