Protesting education department officials at Azad Maidan in Mumbai
Association president Sheshrao Bade said, “The FIR was registered at Malegaon city police station on Sept 9 after a teacher died during an administrative inquiry at a school in Nashik district’s Malegaon. After a three-day pen-down strike from Sept 16 to 18 and a representation to state govt failed to yield the desired response, the association escalated its agitation into an indefinite protest.
“One of the key demands is that education department officials should not be arrested without the permission of the school education department,” Bade said. The protest, led by Akhil Maharashtra Education Service Gazetted Officers’ Association, has also drawn support from state board chairpersons and secretaries. Besides FIR withdrawal, the association is pressing five key demands, including protection for officials from arrest while discharging official duties, implementation of Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) orders, reinstatement of suspended officers and immediate postings for officials awaiting appointment. Those named in the case include a block education officer, education extension officer, centre head, divisional deputy director of education and an education officer. The association argued that the officials were carrying out a govt-mandated inquiry and should not face criminal action for an incident that occurred in the course of official duty.
Pune: Maharashtra’s top education officials, including primary education director Sharad Gosavi and secondary education director Mahesh Palkar, on Wednesday joined an indefinite sit-in at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, demanding the withdrawal of an FIR filed against their colleagues in connection with the death of a teacher during an inquiry in Malegaon.
In a representation submitted to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last week, the association said the practice of registering criminal cases and making arrests over incidents arising during official duty was damaging the morale of officers and affecting their family lives. It urged govt to intervene and resolve the issues at the earliest.