Mansa (Punjab): Several teachers’ unions on Tuesday staged a district-level protest in Mansa, demanding justice and adequate compensation for teachers who lost their lives or suffered injuries while performing duties during the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections.
The protesters held a sit-in and later carried out a symbolic effigy-burning demonstration against the Punjab government and the State Election Commission. A memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister of Punjab was also submitted, highlighting what the unions described as grave administrative lapses in assigning election duties.
The protest followed the death of teachers Jaskaran Bhullar and his wife Kamaljit Kaur, who were killed on December 14 while travelling for election duty in Moga district after their car plunged into a canal. In another incident, associate teacher Rajveer Kaur sustained injuries in Munak in Sangrur district when her vehicle met with a similar accident. Education provider Parmjit Kaur was also injured in a road accident in Patran area of Patiala district.
Teachers’ representatives alleged that these incidents were the direct consequence of arbitrary duty allotments and negligence on the part of the Election Commission and the state government. They claimed that teachers were compelled to travel long distances under unsafe conditions, putting their lives at risk.
Addressing the gathering, union leaders Narinder Makha, Amolak Delauna, Karamjit Tamkot, Darshan Alisher, Vijay Budhlada and Rajwinder Meer demanded compensation of ₹2 crore each for the families of the deceased teachers. They said the amount should be deposited in the names of the victims’ children, along with full government support for their education and reservation of government jobs for them in the future.
For teachers injured in Munak, Patran and other areas, the unions sought compensation of ₹20 lakh each, complete medical treatment at government expense, and recognition of the recovery period as on-duty service. They also demanded the withdrawal of FIRs allegedly registered against teachers while they were on election duty.
The protesters further called for major reforms in the deployment of teachers for election-related work. They demanded that in future, election duties be assigned only within teachers’ residential or working blocks, that BLO and other non-teaching responsibilities be withdrawn, and that exemptions be granted to mothers of small children and teachers suffering from serious illnesses. Ensuring proper arrangements for food, accommodation and safety at polling booths was also among their demands.
Union leaders Harjinder Singh, Lakhwinder Mann, Sukhvir Singh Babbi, Rajwinder Singh Behniwal and Mela Singh alleged that repeated appeals to the authorities had gone unanswered. They described the deaths as the result of “administrative failure” and warned that the agitation would be intensified if their demands were not met.
A large number of teachers from across Mansa district participated in the protest, expressing anger and grief over the incidents.
