Para teachers demand salary hike, protest in canal near Bengal CM's residence

A section of para teachers onTuesday staged a unique protest near the high-security zone ofWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence,stepping into a canal to press for a salary hike.

The group of contractual teachers of government-runschools in the state held placards in the portion of thewaterbody in front of Banerjee's residence in Kalighat area,officials said.

The protesters were later dispersed by police anddisaster management personnel, they said.

Seven people have been arrested, a police officersaid.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra and othersenior officials have taken stock of the situation at thespot, where security has been beefed up following theincident.

Contractual teachers have been holding a sit-in in themetropolis for more than 70 days, demanding immediate wagerevision.

Banerjee had recently announced a three per centannual pay hike for para teachers in the state budget, butthey asserted the raise is not enough.

The education department had increased the salary ofpara teachers at the primary level from Rs 5,954 to Rs 10,000a month, and for those at the higher secondary level from Rs8,500 to Rs 13,000.

With the assembly elections round the corner, it hassnowballed into a major political issue with the oppositionBJP and Left Front accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress ofturning a blind eye to the plea of the para teachers.