By IANS,
Lucknow : Thousands of teachers and employees of non-aided schools across Uttar Pradesh who reached the state capital Thursday to launch protests demanding higher salaries were baton-charged by the police.
As the teachers moved towards the Raj Bhawan, the police resorted to a baton-charge. Owing to the protests, the traffic in the state capital’s Hazratganj area was thrown out of gear.
“We resorted to force in order to prevent the protesters from being unruly,” Raghuveer Lal, superintendent of police (law and order), told IANS.
Even as the police said no one was seriously injured, the UP Non-Aided Teachers’ Association (UPNTA) claimed nearly 50 teachers were injured and were rushed to different hospitals.
“As many as 50 of our colleagues are being treated in different hospitals of Lucknow,” UPNTA secretary Aftab Alam Khan told IANS.
“While we were carrying violence-free demonstrations, police assaulted us using a heavy force to disperse the protesters,” he added.
At present, teachers and employees of the non-aided schools receive a monthly honorarium of Rs.500-1,500.
UPNTA members demanded that a fixed salary of nearly Rs.5,000 be given to about 300,000 teachers and employees working with the 13,000 non-aided government schools across UP.
Although recognised by the UP education board, the non-aided schools are not entitled for any regular financial grant from the state government.