Bhubaneswar: Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan Saturday met protesting teachers in Bhubaneswar and assured them that the government would soon take a decision on their long-pending demands.
Harichandan told the teachers that the government had to examine and interpret the committee’s report before taking a decision. He urged them to trust the government and withdraw their agitation. “Please trust the government, call off the protest and return home,” he appealed.
Suraj also visited the protest site and assured the teachers that their issue would be resolved shortly. He said the government had already received the committee’s report and that the process of government intervention had begun.
“We have received 79 reports running into around 800 pages,” Suraj said, adding that the government would take a decision within a short period. Suraj invited the teachers to send a delegation for discussions with the government and said their demands would be examined in detail.
The teachers, who are protesting over their long-pending demands, said they would continue their agitation until they received a written assurance from the minister.
Notably, teachers and aspirants under different banners have continued their protests, raising demands related to teacher recruitment, safety, pay discrepancies, pension benefits, job security and service conditions, among other issues.