St Edmunds’ management moves HC against striking teachers
SHILLONG: Pressure is mounting on Principal of St. Edmund’s College Sylvanus Lamare to resign as the management of the College filed a petition on Tuesday before the High Court of Meghalaya opposing the strike of teachers.
The Congregation of Christian Brothers, who runs the college, has filed the case against Meghalaya government and others before the court of Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal.
The court has issued notices for the respondents.
On the other hand, the agitating teachers of St Edmund’s has asked its Principal to resign.
Senior lecturer of St Edmund’s College, F.F. Ropmay told reporters, “ He (Sylvanus Lamare) sits in the chair but he has no authority”.
The agitated teachers and members of the Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) from St Edmund’s College are also demanding the resignation of secretary of the governing body, Bro. Simon Coelho and Finance Officer of the governing body, Bro. Julius Steljus.
Demanding the authorities to re-instate Prof. Jeffreyson Wahlang, whose service was terminated by the management, the teachers of the institute held a protest near the additional secretariat on Tuesday demanding repeal of the service rule that was formulated by the sponsoring body. ‘Oppressive service rules’
The sponsoring body is the Congregation of the Christian Brothers in India (CCBI.) “The service rule formulated by the sponsoring body is oppressive. It doesn’t even give the right to protest, apart from other issues,” said Rowenna Iangrai, general secretary of the teachers’ association.
The president of Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association and a senior faculty of St. Edmunds College, Malcolm Tariang said the association wants the management to reinstate the college teacher, whose service was arbitrarily terminated.
”His only fault is that he took part in a silent black flag protest along with several other teachers demanding better service rules,” Tariang said.
Teachers from city colleges also extended support to the strike.
Students from St Edmund’s who were passers-by were also sympathetic to the cause of teachers.
The college has around 3000 students in about 20 departments. Around 60 teachers of the college are in the state government’s pay roll.
Another 40 odd are under the pay roll of the college management and the sponsoring body looks after their welfare
