Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 23: Residents of Tulail and Gurez in north Kashmir today staged a protest, demanding the return of 34 teachers to their original postings and calling for the reinstatement of suspended Chief Education Officer (CEO) Bandipora, Balbir Kumar.
The protest comes a day after the Government suspended Kumar for cancelling the deputation of 34 teachers appointed in Education Zone Gurez but working in other zones of Bandipora district without formal approval.
The protesters said schools in the remote tribal belt were “virtually empty” due to prolonged attachments of teachers outside Gurez. “When Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teachers were recruited, it was clearly stated that they would serve in their original place of posting. We do not understand why teachers meant for Gurez are posted in Jammu and other places,” a local resident said.
They termed Kumar’s suspension “unfortunate”, alleging that he was penalised for attempting to address irregularities. “If the CEO has been suspended for ending these attachments, it is a big injustice to him and to our children. We hope the Government sends him back,” another protester said, adding that the matter should be brought to the notice of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
On Friday, the School Education Department suspended Kumar with immediate effect pending an inquiry into his conduct under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956. He has been attached to the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, during the suspension period. The order does not specify the grounds for the inquiry.
On February 19, Kumar had withdrawn the deployment of 34 teachers originally appointed in Gurez and directed them to report back to their parent zone, warning of disciplinary action in case of non-compliance.
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