A frustrated 52-year-old teacher’s pleas against transfers to remote areas for the past 25 years was met with an order from Uttarakhand chief minister to suspend and arrest her. Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat lost his cool in the middle of a Janta Darbar and ordered the police to take the school principal in custody after she requested him to transfer her from her current remote posting.
The chief minister lashed out at her after she allegedly used abusive language and exhibited indecent behaviour in front of the crowd. The video of the incident has gone viral in which the teacher, Uttara Bahuguna, can be seen hurling abuses at the minister as she was directed to leave the gathering by Rawat.
#WATCH Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat directs police to take a teacher into custody after she protested at ‘Janata Darbar’ over issue of her transfer. CM Rawat suspended the teacher and asked her to leave. (28.06.18) pic.twitter.com/alAdCY74QK
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2018
The principal was complaining to the minister that she has only been posted in remote areas of the country for the past 25 years and requested for a transfer from the place she’s now posted at. However, when the chief minister dismissed her request for a transfer, she started shouting and arguing with him in front of everyone.
Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat | Source: The Indian Express
Police officials detained the woman for a few hours and released some hours later, reports said.
“I have no problem in doing my job, but I’ve been posted in remote areas for 25 years. Before the Uttarkashi village, I was posted in a remote area in Uttarkashi district’s Chinyalisaur. My husband used to take care of my two children, but after his death in August last year there is no one to take care of my children. Also, I am too old to work in remote areas,” Bahuguna told The Indian Express.
The minister faced massive backlash on social media, getting criticised for his insensitivity and behaviour.
This is how they treat Gurus….the teachers who build the nation!This government should do away with Teachers Day celebrations! Treating teachers with respect on one day and treating them like garbage the rest of the year is unacceptable.
— Tinat (@SIANG16) June 29, 2018
This is not the way a CM should behave to his subjects..
— Shoney (@shoneymg) June 29, 2018
We must listen to greivence of people in जनता दरबार not punish them.
— Ranjeev Goyal (@RanjeevGoyal) June 29, 2018
@ndtv very disappointing…… No respect of such a old teacher….
— Manoj (@manojbaluwa) June 29, 2018
Commenting on the incident the CM said, “All transfers of government employees will be done under the state’s Transfer Act”, and bringing this issue on a such a platform was not appropriate. He said that suspension orders were issued for Bahuguna for “showing disrespect and using abusive language” during the Janata Darbar, reports The Indian Express.
(Written by Shreya Bansal)
