DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 28: The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has accused the State Directorate of School Education of resorting to “dirty tricks” to intimidate teachers in the form of a notification dated 25th September, 2023 laying out Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968 after the All Nagaland School Teacher’s Association (ANSTA) and Nagaland Government Higher Secondary Schools’ Employee Association (NGHSSEA) threatened to go for a pen-down strike for non-payment of salaries.
“The “Dirty tricks” section of the DoSE should understand that there’re legal consequences for delayed/non-payment of salaries and wages, as per the Supreme Court’s observation”, the party said in a statement.
“Year after year Government teachers have to beg the State Government to release their salaries. Teachers agitation have become the order of the day but instead of trying to resolve the issue through meaningful engagement and drastic overhaul of the Department, the latest notification ordering the teachers not to make “Any communication with the press” nor “Call a public meeting to discuss their conditions” is highly insensitive and condemnable”, it said.
Asking the Directorate of School Education to immediately withdraw the September 25, 2023 notification, RPP stated that demanding the release of salaries which is rightly due to the employees of this noble profession is not “prejudicial to the interest and sovereignty of India” as pointed out by the notification.
The RPP also demanded to know which ‘highly-qualified officer’ in the DoSE felt the need to “input” this highly objectionable (and laughable) notification subsequently signed by the Principal Director. “The absolutely inept, thoroughly unprofessional, highly mismanaged DoSE is now misusing Rule 25 of the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968, to strip the teachers of their last dignity, which is uncalled for and unethical”, it stated.
RPP further reminded the State Government that salary component of Government employees are budgeted so the question of salary non-payment does not arise unless it has been siphoned off. “In any case it has ample “discretionary” funds at its disposal. So what is stopping the State Government from paying the salaries of teachers,” it asked.
(Page News Service)
