Over 30 teachers detained by police during march against NEP, NTA and fee hikes

Over 30 teachers were detained from Mandi House after the Delhi police halted a march called by three teachers’ associations to protest against the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, on Teachers’ Day.

The march was organised by the All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO), Joint Forum for Movement on Education (JFME) and Federation of Central Universities Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA).

“On the day the nation observes Teachers’ Day, senior teachers and students were forcibly detained by the police in order to prevent the march against NEP 2020 and its destructive impact on education,” read a statement by JFME chairperson Nandita Narain and FEDCUTA president Moushumi Das.

Their statement added that the action taken by the Delhi police only served to “vindicate the sentiments” behind the teacher-student unity march. “The march was about the unity of those engaged in the teaching-learning process against the destruction of the nation’s future by destroying public education of high academic standards accessible to all,” it read.

A senior police officer told The Hindu that the teachers were detained because they tried to march towards the Embassy area.

“They were given permission to hold a protest, but when they tried to march towards the Embassy area, we had to detain them,” he said, adding that they were released by 5 p.m.

Teachers at the protest could be seen holding posters carrying slogans against the NEP, fee hikes, the imposition of the Common University Entrance Test, demands to scrap the National Testing Agency, as well as various other issues.

A public gathering was simultaneously held by students and teachers at Jantar Mantar, for which prior permission had been taken, said the police.

Published - September 06, 2024 12:49 am IST