Thousands of teachers gather in Patiala to protest new pay scales

Tribune News Service
Patiala, October 21

Thousands of teachers held a sit-in dharna at Patiala’s Fountain Chowk on Sunday, as protests over the state government’s decision to bring down their pay grow.

Police deployed in large numbers halted protesters’ march to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s residence, prompting teachers to hold their sit-in protest at Fountain Chowk.

The state government heeded to demands to regularise over 8,000 teachers earlier this month, but cut their salaries by as much as 35 per cent in several cases—bringing their pay down from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 a month to Rs 15,000. The decision drew large scale protests from teachers across the state, with unions announcing strikes to demand reinstatement of their previous pay scale.