In an upsetting episode, Delhi University (DU) senior teachers and the teachers from colleges affiliated with DU were forced to hold discussions regarding their pending salaries, which have not been allegedly cleared by the Kejriwal government for the past five months. Apart from their basic salary, they have been also deprived of their medical and other allowances.
Due to this, teachers have received zero income since December 2020, leading them to a state of penury. It is reported that they are even unable to bear their normal expenses, like rations, children’s school fees, and also forced to take loans to pay for their previous loans.
Subodh Kumar, a member of the Maharaja Agrasen College Teaching Staff Association said that from December 2020, DU has not received any grants from the government, resulting in the non-payment of salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff. He also said that in the wake of the halted salary, they want an immediate release of grants from the Kejriwal government.
While speaking to the Hindustan, a teacher expressed that the teachers are tired of writing letters to the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA). He claimed that they have written numerous times to the DUTA, but they are not paying any heed to it. Teachers’ association also revealed that they may even have to stop teaching if their salaries are not paid in full.
While on the one hand, the Kejriwal government is claiming to revolutionise the education system of Delhi, on the other, it is completely disregarding the basic necessity of teaching and non-teaching staff, vital for revolutionising the education system.
Moreover, by neglecting the teachers’ demands, the Kejriwal government is doing a disservice to the whole society. Some reports also suggest that teachers are also facing deep mental stress because of the loan amount heaping for them every month. Being a salaried class, their only source of income is monthly salary but the frustration of unpaid wage is turning their life upside down.
As reported by TFI, Kejriwal’s freebies system is hurting the economy and ends in depriving people of their basic needs. For instance, amid the surge of the Covid pandemic, Kejriwal asked for 5000 crore assistance from the central government to provide basic equipment required in hospitals such as normal bedding, ventilators and more.
Delhi government is well-known for its socialist policies. The pandemic showed the real picture behind the haze. The Delhi establishment under CM Arvind Kejriwal was unable to pay for the beds and could not even afford the ventilators for the hospitals. Moreover, they were unable to pay the hospital staff. For the record, Delhi health workers are sitting on strike for five months over non-payment of their dues.
The First Post reported that not only the teachers of Delhi University have not received any salary from the past five months but even the school teachers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have also not received any kind of remuneration. An MCD school teacher, Narendra expressed his misery and said, “Friends, parents, and relatives helped, but how long can they?”
It is a sad reality that the professionals who lay the foundation of any civilised society, are living the most stressful life. The Covid pandemic has shown a mirror to CM Kejriwal. His socialist policies have no place when the teachers do not receive their salaries for five months. It appears that if the Delhi government’s socialist policies are not addressed in due time, it is going to be doom for the Delhiites.
They should not complain too much.
After all – even if they can’t afford to buy a smartphone, they’ll get free wi-fi.