With the indefinite fast by para-teachers in West Bengal to press for a hike in their salaries entering its eighth day on Friday, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar appealed to all sides concerned to initiate a dialogue for resolving the issue.
Over 1,000 para-teachers, who are contractual teachers in government-run schools, are on a sit-in since November 11.
At least 37 of the protesting teachers are on an indefinite fast from November 15 and about 10 of them have fallen sick, the organisation which is spearheading the para- teachers' movement said.
"@MamataOfficial. I appeal (to) all sides for dialogue at the highest level as over 1000 para-teachers are on a sit-in since November 11 and 37 of them are on an indefinite fast from Friday," he tweeted.
Referring to the death of para-teacher Revati Raut in West Midnapore district, Dhankhar tweeted, "Reported death of Revati Raut, in West Midnapore and illness of others worrisome."
Raut, a middle-aged para-teacher who had taken part in the demonstration by para-teachers here for several days, died at her residence at Debra in West Midnapore on Thursday, Bhagirath Ghosh, co-convenor of the 'Para-Teacher Oikyo Manch' which is spearheading the movement, said.
TMC Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay denied that a para-teacher has died and claimed it as "a false propaganda by BJP".
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"It is a false propaganda by BJP to malign our state government. Not a single para-teacher has died. The state government has taken care of their needs and demands. The BJP is only trying to score political brownie points," Bandopadhyay said.
BJP national general secretary and Bengal minder Kailash Vijayvargiya said the authoritarian Mamata Banerjee government is so arraogant that it has failed to listen to the pleas of the para-teachers.
"A para-teacher has died, thousands of para-teachers are on strike. But the Mamata Banerjee government is completely silent on the issue. Shame on it," Vijayvargiya said.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha witnessed heated arguments between treasury and opposition benches on Friday when ruling BJP MPs from West Bengal raised the issue of the strike by para-teachers in the state.
As soon as BJP MP Locket Chatterjee started speaking on the issue, TMC members rushed towards the well of the House and said she was misguiding it.
Ghosh said there has been no word from the state government about ways to address their demands for hike in salary and pay parity with Group D employees.
Para-teachers at primary schools and high schools are paid a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 and Rs 13,000 respectively, which should be raised to Rs 22,000-25,000, he added.
State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee had earlier said the para-teachers should come for talks with the government.
Police had resorted to lathi-charge on agitating para-teachers at Kalyani in Nadia district in August injuring several of them.
Following this, 10 personalities of the state, including filmmaker Aparna Sen had written an open letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to resolve the agitation in a democratic manner.
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