Ruckus in house over teachers

BHUBANESWAR: Even as agitating teachers of the block grant schools courted arrest protesting Government apathy, the Opposition Congress created ruckus in the Assembly demanding a statement from the Government on the issue. Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh raised the issue while the House was discussing the Orissa Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2011. Attacking the Government for arresting the teachers, who have launched a peaceful agitation from August 1, Singh sought a direction from Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat to the Government to make statement in the House on the latest development.  Several members of the Congress trooped into the Well of the Assembly shouting anti-Government slogans.‘’It is unfortunate. Government arrested the teachers even though they did not resort to any violence,’’ Singh said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty said the Government is still negotiating with the teachers to find out a solution which is very much in sight. Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan sought to know the immediate provocation for the arrest of the teachers who have been agitating in peaceful and democratic manner. He demanded an explanation from the Government. Discussion on the Bill resumed after the Parliamentary Affairs Minister assured the Opposition members that the House will be informed about the latest development about the arrested teachers. He later informed the Assembly that more than 200 teachers were taken into preventive custody after they forcibly entered the prohibitory zone. However, they were released.