Police use force on RET teachers demanding wages in Jammu

Police today resorted to cane-charge on protesting Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teachers who were demanding release of their salaries which they claimed were pending for past over a year.
Over 300 RET teachers converged outside the Jammu Press Club in city here today and held protest demonstrations against the state government and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar alleging that they failed to grant salaries at the end of the financial year.
They tried to take out rally in the city towards civil secretariat but were prevented by a large number of the policemen resulting in clashes.
The police resorted to cane-charge to disperse the teachers. "No one was injured in the cane-charge and some of them were detained and later let off," a police officer said.

Speaking to media, leader of RET Teachers Association Suresh Kumar threatened to bring families including children and hold protests in front of the Secretariat to press for the release of their salaries pending for past over a year.
"We have families. How can we feed them. The denial of the salaries by this government and Education Minister means denial of survival of our families," he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress committee (JKPCC) today condemned the cane-charge on the agitating teachers and described the act as unwarranted and brazen administrative highhandedness.
National Conference also condemned the cane-charge on agitating teachers and described the act as "unwarranted and brazen administrative highhandedness".