Suspend strike till the end of academic year: judge to teachers
CHENNAI, JANUARY 29, 2019 00:00 IST
Refusing to relent:Members of Jactto-Geo protesting in Chennai on Monday.R. Ragu
Jactto-Geo asked to respond to Justice Kirubakaran’s appeal today
Justice N. Kirubakaran of the Madras High Court on Monday made a fervent appeal to government school teachers to suspend their strike till the end of the current academic year.
The judge asked the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisations (Jactto-Geo) to respond to his appeal by Tuesday.
During the hearing of a related case, he was informed that a Division Bench, led by Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, had on Wednesday directed the teachers to return to work forthwith and adjourned a PIL petition to February 18. Similarly, a Bench, led by Justice K.K. Sasidharan, at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, had simply adjourned a case to February 18.
Making it clear that he, as a single judge, did not want to encroach upon the powers of the two Division Benches, which were already seized of the matter, Justice Kirubakaran said his endeavour was only to see to it that students did not suffer due to the ongoing strike, especially when the annual examinations were round the corner.
“Teachers are not mere workmen. They are like Godly figures. I studied in a government school and named my Class I teacher during my oath-taking ceremony. Such is the stature of teachers. How can they go on strike? Will they accept if teachers of their children in private schools go on strike?” the judge asked G. Sankaran, counsel for a teachers’ association.
Greater responsibility
He pointed out that government school teachers should bear greater responsibility as only children from marginalised sections of society and those in rural areas study in government schools. “They must also realise that at least they have a job [at a time] when the country is facing an acute unemployment problem, with even engineers willing to work as sweepers,” he said.
The judge also disapproved of the demand of Jactto-Geo for the withdrawal of the new contributory pension scheme and the implementation of the old pension scheme. Stating that the new pension scheme had been implemented even for Central government employees, the judge wondered whether it was fair on the part of the State government employees to demand a return to the old pension scheme.
Poser to protesters
“If the students fail in their public examinations due to your strike and then file a civil suit seeking damages from their teachers, what will they do?” the judge asked. In his reply, Mr. Sankaran said it would be the responsibility of the State government, and not individual teachers, to compensate the students in such a scenario.
Disagreeing with the submission, the judge asked, “Why should the State pay compensation when you are on strike?”
He also took exception to some union leaders, affiliated to different political parties, using inappropriate language while referring to government officials during meetings held to address Jactto-Geo members. Seeking to know what the government had done so far to bring the strike to an end, the judge directed Special Government Pleader C. Munusamy to get instructions from the School Education Department by Tuesday.
CHENNAI, JANUARY 29, 2019 00:00 IST
Refusing to relent:Members of Jactto-Geo protesting in Chennai on Monday.R. Ragu
Jactto-Geo asked to respond to Justice Kirubakaran’s appeal today
Justice N. Kirubakaran of the Madras High Court on Monday made a fervent appeal to government school teachers to suspend their strike till the end of the current academic year.
The judge asked the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisations (Jactto-Geo) to respond to his appeal by Tuesday.
During the hearing of a related case, he was informed that a Division Bench, led by Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, had on Wednesday directed the teachers to return to work forthwith and adjourned a PIL petition to February 18. Similarly, a Bench, led by Justice K.K. Sasidharan, at the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, had simply adjourned a case to February 18.
Making it clear that he, as a single judge, did not want to encroach upon the powers of the two Division Benches, which were already seized of the matter, Justice Kirubakaran said his endeavour was only to see to it that students did not suffer due to the ongoing strike, especially when the annual examinations were round the corner.
“Teachers are not mere workmen. They are like Godly figures. I studied in a government school and named my Class I teacher during my oath-taking ceremony. Such is the stature of teachers. How can they go on strike? Will they accept if teachers of their children in private schools go on strike?” the judge asked G. Sankaran, counsel for a teachers’ association.
Greater responsibility
He pointed out that government school teachers should bear greater responsibility as only children from marginalised sections of society and those in rural areas study in government schools. “They must also realise that at least they have a job [at a time] when the country is facing an acute unemployment problem, with even engineers willing to work as sweepers,” he said.
The judge also disapproved of the demand of Jactto-Geo for the withdrawal of the new contributory pension scheme and the implementation of the old pension scheme. Stating that the new pension scheme had been implemented even for Central government employees, the judge wondered whether it was fair on the part of the State government employees to demand a return to the old pension scheme.
Poser to protesters
“If the students fail in their public examinations due to your strike and then file a civil suit seeking damages from their teachers, what will they do?” the judge asked. In his reply, Mr. Sankaran said it would be the responsibility of the State government, and not individual teachers, to compensate the students in such a scenario.
Disagreeing with the submission, the judge asked, “Why should the State pay compensation when you are on strike?”
He also took exception to some union leaders, affiliated to different political parties, using inappropriate language while referring to government officials during meetings held to address Jactto-Geo members. Seeking to know what the government had done so far to bring the strike to an end, the judge directed Special Government Pleader C. Munusamy to get instructions from the School Education Department by Tuesday.
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