Schools in city remain shut following teachers’ protest

Agra: Schools across the city remained shut on Thursday following the protest by teachers association over the death of a teacher in Lucknow, allegedly, due to police action during a strike on Wednesday.
City teachers carried out condolence meets, ‘silent protests’ and shut the schools for one day.
Teachers said their strike will continue till the government meets their demands and announces compensation to the deceased teacher’s family.All major schools including Queen Victoria, MD Jain Inter-College, Sobia Inter College, Ahmadia Hanifia Inter-College, among others took part on the strike.
On Wednesday, a teacher, Ramasheesh Singh, allegedly died after police retaliated to baton charge on a group of teachers in Lucknow, while they were protesting near the Vidhan Sabha Bhavan over the issue of revival of the old pension scheme. The protest was organized by the All Teacher Employees Welfare Association.
District president of the teachers association Bhoj Kumar Sharma said, “Almost all schools remained closed after the condolence meet. Today, city teachers will attend schools but won’t work in protest. We will not teach till our demands are met.”
Meanwhile, BJP, on Thursday, said the death of the teacher during the protest showed the administrative failure of the Akhilesh government and demanded compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the family of the victim.
“The act of lathicharge on teachers is condemnable and Akhilesh Yadav government has lost moral right to continue in the state, where law and order is worsening. Lathicharge on teachers during a peaceful demonstration shows administrative failure,” BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya said here.
“It’s unfortunate that a teacher lost his life while protesting for a genuine cause. We have asked for compensation and job to his kin. Teachers are also demanding for the revival of the old pension scheme in the state,” he added.
Another protester S Samson informed, “On Saturday, we will carry out silent candle march in city and would try to draw attention of the district administration or state government through our peaceful protest.”
The state government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and gave immediate help of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the deceased. The government has also assured that a decision on providing jobs to his dependents will be taken as per rules.