Police prevent teachers' rally at Naveen's constituency

The Police today stopped a proposed rally of the block-grant teachers at Hinjili, the home constituency of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Ganjam district.
Besides denying permission to hold such a rally, the Police also detained some of the leaders as a preventive measure.
The block-grant teachers' association, which has been demanding abolition of the block grant system of payment and regularisation of their job, had planned to stage a rally at Hinjili to press their demand.
"We did not give permission to hold a rally of 10,000 people in Hinjili in view of law and order," said SP (Ganjam) Narsingh Bhol.

In a preventive measure, at least seven leaders of the association were detained and released later, he said. Among the others detained was the general secretary of the association P K Mohapatra.
"It is unfortunate that the police denied us to hold a rally in democratic manner to highlight our demands," said president of the association in Ganja district P Acharya.
In protest, the teachers held a meeting at Aska to condemn the police action.
"We have decided to boycott the ensuing high school certificate (HSC) examination starting from February 22 and the valuation of papers from March 11," he added.