Teachers’ agitation not justified, says Rebati Mohan Sinha
The self-styled Chief Advisor of Bishnupriya Manipuri Teachers Association has clearly stated that 149 language teachers were employed on honorary basis. Here I would like to put forward the meaning of honorary.
1. Honorary is given for honor only, without the usual requirements of duties, privileges, emolument etc.
2. Holding an office or title given as an honor is without payment.
3. It is not legally enforceable, and can’t be taken as a duty or an obligation.
4. Honorary is conferred in recognition of service rendered without the prerequisites or obligation, unpaid, voluntary.
Hence,
(1) The Government is not “oblized” to meet the demand of remuneration of teachers.
(2) Gauhati High Court has given clear ruling that the Government is not bound to regularise these 149 teachers, instead it can give only age relaxation once they (teacher) qualifies interviews.
In this case, will it be justified to go for 501 hours road/rail blockade?
Here, I fail to understand: first, why did they call off the hunger strike? Second, if the Education Minister is not available on 18th June, then why they have agreed to meet Secretary, who can not give even a rupee to anybody.
Why should Student Union people forcibly snatch the files/papers from Secretary of Teacher Association? Is this the leadership quality shown in a meeting? Bishnupriya manipuri people have lost faith in such leadership. If they proceed for blockade they may not have the support that they are looking forward to from the people.
They have no fund to mobilize manpower from one place to another as a result, they will go for door-to-door collection without any account given.
The best part to play is constant negotiation with the Government. It is to be reminded that people have not forgotten the nightmare of Kolkolighat Rail-blockade, where a poor parent lost Sudeshna.
Those who called themselves leaders, went underground, some surrendered instead of intensifying the movement at that crucial moment. So far there is no FIR lodged against those trigger-happy police force.
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Teachers to stage 501 hours road and rail blockade in Barak Valley next month
Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers’ association hails political leaders
The association also extended its welcome to Elementary Education Department commissioner and secretary AB Md Eunus (IAS), under secretary AB Ahmed and Asom Government Elementary Department deputy secretary Gopinath Baruah for their immense help in the process of regularizing the posts of Bishnupriya Manipuri Teachers’.
Courtesy: The Sentinel (June 11, 2009)
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Friday, 19 June 2009
Nothing concrete came out from the Teacher’s meeting with the Assam Gov
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Nothing concrete came out from the Teacher’s meeting with the Assam Gov
Teachers called off their hunger strike; meeting on June 18 with Government
The Bishnupriya Manipuri Language teachers have called off their indefinite hunger strike on June 6, 2009. The decision to withdraw the protest has come after the Assam Government gave nod to meet with them on June 18, 2009 in Dispur, Assam.
The stay on the protest is temporary and it will be resumed if the Assam Government doesn’t meet the longstanding demands of the 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers who sat on strike on June 5, 2009 in Silchar, Assam, said Anil Rajkumar, President, Bishnupriya Manipuri Student Union.
Hunger strike which ran for two days in the precincts of the DC Office, Silchar, Assam, two persons got critically serious and they had to be given immediate medical assistance. The names of the teachers are Subodh Sinha from Singhari and Namita Rajkumari. Subodh Sinha teaches in the Merwah LP School, Chencoorie, and Namita Rajkumari in the Tikarbasti LP School, Silchar.
The Assam Government should follow its own decision on releasing the remuneration of the 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers, said Prabir Rajkumar of Bishnupriya Manipuri Language Teachers Association.
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9 Years of Hope
The financial and psychological toll that these teachers had to undergo year after year is beyond one guess and imagination. The child who was in class I in 2001 is now a teenager and is getting ready for the matriculation examination; is it not an irony that the same teacher who had taught this child, his life didn’t move an inch. His life has been brought to a screeching grinding halt.
It not only put a pause to the professional and personal advancement of the person, but it ceases the lives of many people: his wife, children and his old parents. The lives of all the dependents were put on stake.
A simple arithmetic calculates the figure to over 600 people (considering a family is consists of 4 members) whose life has been put to backburner. They haven’t seen growth, what “growth” means to them. They were nowhere in the race of growth. For them growth was a burden. That they knew very well the burden, one day, if not got a support from the government and the civil society, they will perish.
The plight of these teachers who went to teach the Bishnupriya Manipuri language in the primary schools of the states in the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, were abstained from the basic source of their sustenance since 2001.
The message that comes out from this episode is that the survival of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language, spoken by a minority community which has its presence in the three districts of Assam, is indeed in stake and it may, sooner or later if not taken steps, might appear in the list of endangered language of India like the Lepcha language of Sikkim is.
The Government of Assam has failed to support and enrich a language spoken by a minority population in the state. The act of negligence to the development and preservation of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language is contrary to the universal belief that a child ability to absorb facts and information increases when the primary medium of instruction is in its mother tongue.
But this hasn’t been practiced in this case.
How one could expect with the unsympathetic approach of the state government that people will take up the noble profession of teaching? Definitely they will abstain from taking up the teaching profession. This will not only have a cascading affect on the language but it will bring into edge the identity of the whole community. It will create ‘identity-crisis’ amongst the members of the affected community.
Unfortunately this has been taking place in the community. If it is not stemmed there is an imminent danger lurking ahead that a generation will come with out any basic knowledge of their language, culture and custom.
In the same breathe a fact that calls for urgent attention and pondering is: the type of education children of the 149 teachers would have received. These aggrieved teachers couldn’t have thought of giving proper education to them. Alas! The future that is lying ahead for these children is gloomy and uncertain. They can’t even think of standing to the future challenges that they had to face. Forget the condition health of these children.
However, things become more serious when one considers the man-hour loss of these 149 teachers for 9 years. Take this: If a take-home salary of a teacher is meager Rs. 5000 INR per month, in 9 years it amounts to Rs. 8, 04, 60,000 INR! This figure comes considering the revision of the salary didn’t take place in the 9 years. What a great loss for us and for the whole community?
Now with the costs and man-power loss involved in this period, one question that has to be answered urgently: Is it worth carrying the cost for another unimaginable time period? A definite answer has to come very soon.
Else the teachers would again resume their duties with a hollow hope that one day they will start receiving their dues from the government. Things will go on and on.
Hunger strike by Bishnupriya Manipuri Language teachers on June 5 in Silchar
Lack of vote-bank mars demand of Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers
The lives of 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers are in stake and they need support and encouragement from the whole community, the Government of Assam is dilly-dallying the whole issue as the community doesn’t make a vote-bank, is what oganisations supporting the hunger strike starting from June 5, 2009, said when they were contacted.
The Government of Assam is completely neglecting the plight of Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers as the community itself doesn’t fall in the vote-bank politics, said Anil Rajkumar, the President of Bishnupriya Manipuri Students Association.
Despite all procedural measures being taken for the appointment of the Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers in the last 9 years, the fate of 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers are in limbo, said Samir Sinha of Bishnupriya Manipuri Gana Sangram Parishad.
To meet their demands, the 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers had earlier resorted to similar strikes, but nothing came out concrete from their attempts. “But this time it is different and will be successful,” said Samir Sinha.
If you or your relatives are affected by the non-release of payment for the last 9 years, voice your concern here by commenting.
Hunger strike by Bishnupriya Manipuri Language teachers on June 5 in Silchar
Mumbai’s Assamese community celebrates Rongali Bihu with gaiety
It was a day of celebration for the Assamese community living in Mumbai and in its adjoining areas on April 18, 2009. The national festival of Assam “Rongali Bihu” was celebrated with much fanfare and gaiety at Assam Bhawan, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
The celebration which drew attendance from all walks of life underwent with songs, dances, Jeng Bihu, and Hoosari. The day also marked the felicitation of Amrit Pritam Dutta, Sound Engineer of the Oscar movie Slumdog Millionaire, Debojit Thousen, Executive Member, North Cachar Hills Autonomus Council and Abhilash Phukan, Guitarist.
The evening started with the welcome address by Shyama Prasad Borthakur Vice President, The Assam Association, Mumbai, followed with the Banti Prajalan by Devasish Sharma, Dy.Resident Commissioner of Assam Bhawan, and Paban Kr.Kotoky, President, The Assam Association, Mumbai.
It came as a special day for the attendees as they were able to enjoy in one platform the traditional Bihu and the modern songs sung by luminaries like Gakul Das, Gakul Puri and Manmi Baruah. Other singers who also cast their magic on the audience were Anjana Saikia, Bharati Hazarika, Rajjyoti Konwar, Bedanta Rajkhowa and Ramen Goswami.
Group Bihu dance showcasing the “Bihoor Ananda” among children was performed by Prantika Das, Debanuj Borouah, Satarupa Saikia, Reshab Sharma, Bhargab Newar, Monali Sharma and Sargam Hazarika.
This ensued with the special performance by Shivani Sharma who enthralled the audience by her Bharat Natyam dance. The fabulous chorus was sung by Heera Saikia, Anjana Saikia, Anjali Handique, Indrani Borpujari, Dipali Newar, Deepali Gohain, Chinu Borgohain, Monalisa Duarah, Juri Duarah, Tripti Konwar, Doobari and Bornali.
A breath taking children dance, directed by Nitu Pegu, on the song “Tilai-Tilai” of Kolaguru Bishnu Rabha, was performed by Satarupa, Dikshita, Bhavana, Viona, Kritika and Prantika.
Finally, came the turn of the modern dance by Karishma Borpujari, disciple of Padmashree Pushpa Bhuyan, who presented a dance from the movie “36 China Town”.
One of the highlights of the evening was Jeng Bihu performed by Sreemoyee Mahila Samitee, and directed by Indrani Borpujari and Dipali Newar. The traditional folk dance of Assam was performed by Juri Dowerah, Monalisa Dowerah, Kakoli Saikia, Hira Saikia, Indrani Borpujari, Karishma Borpujari, Chinu Borgohain, Dipali Gohain, Dipali Newar and Tripti Konwar.
The entire programme was anchored by Nilakshi Phukan, a trained classical singer and stage performer of classical music at different places of Assam.
The Mumbai Rongali Bihu for the year 2009 ended at midnight of April 19, with the vote of thanks from Deepen Rajkonwar, General Secretary,The Assam Association, wishing everyone happy and prosperous new year and with a promise to meet again next year.
Assam-Tripura information gap
By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi
The participation of The Bishnupriya Manipuri in the largest exercise of democracy is indeed a matter of prestige and a milestone set in its journey. Its involvement in the 15th Lok Sabha election hasn’t been exclusive; it can’t be. However, the series of special seven power-packed articles do carry weight and uniqueness. Not only all the articles were timely released but it was published with some special objectives.
The objectives were:
(1) Self-reliance: The so-called media group national and regional, it has been seen, utterly fails to cater to a particular segment like us that has a divided population cutting across states/ constituencies. Here with these articles we have been able to cater content to the respective constituencies where we have a sizable population like in Guwahati, Silchar, Karimganj and in the state Tripura.
(2) Content-monotony: The articles break a sort of prevailing myth that only media houses have access to news-source. We can also access information/ news. (though it is publicly available).
(3) News and analysis: Chances are there that a mainstream media journalist will not write a copy that is of concern to the minority community like us. On the contrary, it is a concern for us and it matters a lot. So an analysis was done to bring forth the stands taken up by main national parties like Congress (I), BJP and CPI (M) on key issues like minorities and OBC.
(4) Bridge information gap: It is a cut-and-dried fact: people of Assam don’t know anything about Tripura and vice-versa. People of both the states live in an information-starved environment. The fault lies in our education system plus the minuscule role media plays in both the states. For us the United States seems nearer than Tripura or Assam.
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