DHARWAD: MLC and former education minister Basavaraj Horatti lambasted the state government in general and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri in particular for failing to solve the problem of teachers in unaided Kannada medium schools. Addressing the agitating teachers whose protest entered its 15th day here on Sunday, he stated that the ongoing protest should not be confined to the teaching fraternity, but should become a people’s movement.
Strongly condemning the state government for dilly-dallying in releasing grant-in aid which has left the teachers in trouble, he pointed out that nearly 60 per cent of unaided Kannada medium schools are receiving grant-in aid and only 40 per cent schools have been left out. “The Department of Finance is playing with the lives of the teachers by delaying the aid. Several teachers have committed suicide,” he said. Recalling that he had created a fund for release of grant-in aid during his term as the primary and secondary education minister, Horatti alleged that the BJP
government diverted the fund to other educational programmes. He said he will extend support to the ongoing protest and will form a committee to chalk out the future course of action for which a meeting will be held. Horatti called upon teachers to participate in large numbers in the meeting and put more pressure on the government to fulfil their legitimate demands. The meeting will discuss boycotting of a day’s class in primary, secondary, HS and PU in every taluk soon.