Several agitating school teachers categorised as 'Gana Shikshaks' were today arrested on their way to Naveen Niwas, residence of the Chief Minister.
The teachers, who have been demanding regularisation of their jobs since December 22 last, faced the men in khaki near Sishu Bhawan, a day after a scuffle broke out between them and the police, while trying to march towards the state secretariat and the Legislative Assembly to press for their demands.
The Gana Shikshaks had threatened to gherao Naveen Niwas to draw the government's attention to their demands.
The demands include regularisation of jobs after completion of six years in service and hike in salary.
School and Mass Education minister Devi Mishra said the Gana Shikshaks need to undergo training for regularisation of jobs as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
The agitating teachers, however, said the strike would continue until the Chief Minister fulfils their demands.
Alleging that the state government was playing with the career of thousands of students as their classes were being disrupted due to the strike, the Gana Sikhyak Mahasangh president Sarat Chandra Nayak said "The ministerial sub-committee has already forwarded its recommendations to the Chief Minister for approval. But, the Chief Minister is yet to come out with a decision.
"We are completely in the dark about our jobs. We demand that jobs of those who have completed six years of service be regularised." he said.
The association had an inconclusive meeting with Mishra yesterday.
"It is unfortunate that teachers are staging protest even as the government is taking steps to resolve their issues. The Naveen Patnaik led-government has done so much for the teachers," Mishra said.
