Opposition creating confusion over para-teacher issue: Bengal

Asking para-teachers to submit documents related to their wage revision demand, West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Monday that the opposition parties are creating confusion over the issue.

The Trinamool Congress government, after coming to power in 2011, had effected an increase in the salary of para- teachers from Rs 5,000 to Rs 13,000 in eight years, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

"Those shedding crocodile tears for para-teachers did little when they were in power. Now they are blaming the Trinamool Congress government that had brought para-teachers under provident fund scheme and increased their salary substantially," he said.

He said while the state was yet to get its share of the central funds, the opposition was claiming that the TMC government was withholding a part of the para teachers' salary.

Chatterjee said he wanted the para teachers to bring all the documents related to their salary during the proposed talks with them later this week.

"Let them bring all the papers, we want to settle this for once and for all," he said.

The CPI(M) and the BJP have alleged that the state government was not serious about the issue of para-teachers, who are on an indefinite fast since November 15.

The para-teachers are demanding an increase in their salary to the range of Rs 22,000-25,000, redesignation as an elementary teacher and they be given the status above the Group D staff of the state government.