Sarpanch slap issue: Punjab teachers threaten self-immolation

Peeved at the Punjab government for not heeding to their demands, teachers demanding permanent jobs in the state on Tuesday threatened to immolate themselves after one of their lady colleagues was allegedly slapped in public view by an Akali Dal sarpanch.

A delegation of Education Guarantee Scheme teachers association, led by its chief Pritpal Singh, on Tuesday went to the private residence of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for a "meeting to resolve their problems".

"We were not heard by Sukhbir. We have decided that 11 of our associates will conduct self-immolation on December 8," Singh said.

He said that the drastic step will be taken in front Badal's residence in the posh sector 9 of Chandigarh.

The EGS teachers association demanded immediate arrest of the sarpanch. They also demanded that they should be provided government jobs without further delay.

Singh alleged that the state government had been arm-twisting EGS teachers and the woman who had been slapped at a function in Muktsar district had been pressurised to take back her statements she made before the media.

"The victim is constantly being threatened with dire consequences," he alleged.

A leader of Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal had allegedly repeatedly slapped a lady teacher, who was demanding a permanent job on Sunday, sparking an outrage after which the state government registered an FIR against him late on Monday night.

Varinder Kaur was part of a delegation of teachers who wanted to meet Bhatinda Member of Parlaiement Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the wife of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, at the function at Gidderbaha on Sunday.

A scuffle had broken out between the teachers' delegation, which wanted to submit a memorandum to Harsimrat Kaur demanding regularisation of their job, and Akali Dal workers who wanted the delegation to leave the place.

Balwinder Singh, Akali Dal sarpanch of Daula village, caught hold of Varinder Kaur and allegedly slapped her many times.