Mukul Roy writes to HM Shah on plight of Bengal Para teachers; alleges demands 'unheard'

BJP National Vice President Mukul Roy on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah drawing his attention towards the plight of the para-teachers in West Bengal. In a letter to HM Shah, Roy discussed how the para-teachers continued to be paid poorly in West Bengal as compared to other states, with their demands being 'deliberately ignored' by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

"The para-teachers in West Bengal have been deprived of their just rights including the promised honorarium for a long time. Their pleas to the State Government including Hon'ble Chief Minister remain unheard and ignored. While the pay-scale of para-teachers in other states were quite high, in West Bengal, the para-teachers get an honorarium of Rs 10,000/- for serving in Primary schools and Rs 13,000 for Upper Primary schools," said Mukul Roy in his letter. 

Sharing how the teachers had taken to streets to voice their demands, the BJP leader sought cognizance from Amit Shah over the matter. "Their demand for a pay structure at par with Indian states are being ignored by the West Bengal government." According to Mukul Roy, over 63,000 para teachers under Samagra Siksha Mission were being deprived of fair pay.

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Read: Para Teachers Block Key Kolkata Street As Part Of Protest

Para teachers stage protest

In the last week of January, women members of an organization of para teachers staged a demonstration outside the West Bengal legislative assembly demanding pay parity with regular teachers. Over 50 members of 'Sikshak Oikyo Mukto Manch' protested against the TMC-led state government with a team of the state police, and the Rapid Action Force reaching on-site to dismiss them. 

"We want equal pay for equal work with regular teachers and retirement benefits. We want to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. This is a fight for our self-respect," Gita Biswas, one of the agitating teachers, told news agency PTI. 

Read: Cal HC Grants Permission To Para Teachers' Organisation To Hold Sit-in

Read: Para Teachers In Bengal Demonstrate Outside Assembly Demanding Pay Parity

(With Agency Inputs)