Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 16

Hundreds of unemployed ETT teachers, who tried to enter Chandigarh to gherao the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, were stopped by the UT police at the Mohali-Chandigarh border today.

Holding a state-level protest, unemployed ETT teachers gathered at the Dasehra ground near Amb Sahib Gurdwara in the city. They have been protesting for the past 27 days at Desumajra village where five teachers, including a girl, were holding fast unto death atop an overhead water tank.

Sandeep Sama, senior vice-president of the Unemployed ETT Teachers’ Union, said the protesting youth were hoping that Channi’s behaviour towards them would not be as that of the former Punjab CM, Capt Amarinder Singh, and he would solve their problems on a priority.

He rued that Channi and others did not even give them time to listen to their demands. He said recruitment of 2,364 ETT teachers could be done by sending the file to the AG, Punjab, but no initiative was being taken by government. The issue was being deliberately delayed and no concrete steps were being taken by the AG, Punjab, to get the stay removed.