AGARTALA, Aug 7 (TIWN): A represntative group of Governor Tathagata Roy on Monday has met the SSA teachers on day-7 of hunger strike. Meeting the SSA teachers the team has forwarded the urge of Governor Tathagata Roy to withdraw the hunger strike. Initially, the SSA teachers however are unready to withdraw the strike, whereas till day 6 persons have become ill. “Unless and untill our demands are fulfilled we are not going to withdraw the striek”, said the agitators. In 2003, the SSA project had begun in Tripura, Presently there are 5,145 teachers working in SSA and more 660 staffs are there. According to the teachers , the Tripura Govt has betrayed them by not regularizing them whereas every month since 2010 to 11 has brought regular basis funds in SSA teachers names. In this condition, the SSA teachers have demanded the regularization notice.

The secretary of the SSA Association Bastab Debbarma who was first to hospitalized on Friday night has also joined the hunger strike a taking again a leading role. Addressing a press conference, Bastab Debbarma argued on Tripura Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty's statement that 'no state has regularized SSA teachers' and showed full proof evidences that how other states have regularized the SSA teachers. Also the regularization copies of Manipur, Sikkim were shared with media on Sunday press meet. A huge number of SSA teachers have joined on Sunday as a part of the agitation as schools are off today. The SSA teachers also alleged that the school authority are not allowing other teacher, who want to join the hunger strike and with various pressures the teachers have been engaged in the schools.

From South Tripura to North Tripura teachers regardless men, women have joined the agitation.  Addressing the press meet at Orient Chowmuhani, the teachers said,  "In 2010-11 Tripura Govt requested Central Govt to regularize the SSA teachers and Central Govt had regularized them. Funds have been also being sanctioned in SSA teachers' names, whether it's not announced by the State Govt". 

The teachers of SSA also said, "Education Minister said no state has regularized SSA teachers. He should ask Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Himachal govts regarding this and he will get his answer".

There is no function of Central Govt for regularizing the SSA teachers. Central Govt will give the salaries, but regularization is fully upto the state govt. Central Govt clearly said it has no problem in fund sanctioning if a state regularizes them.

"When state govt is saying SSA teachers do not qualify the NCTE guideline, then why the govt is not taking action against those officials who appointed us ? It was you who appointed us. Tripura Govt also deprived the teachers to complete their teachers' training", alleged the SSA teachers.

"Our Hunger Strike will be continued unless and until we are regularized", said Bastab Debbarma in the press meet.