DHARWAD: Teachers of unaided Kannada medium schools, who are on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the release of grant-in-aid, refused to heed to the request of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa , to call off their strike.
Earlier Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri too had tried to reconcile, to which the agitated teachers said they would withdraw the strike only if the government issued orders to release the grant-inaid.
The teachers were taken by surprise when Yeddyurappa arrived at the agitation venue in RSS uniform, wearing shorts and white shirt. Many among the teachers prostrated before him and said that the decision taken by his government has not yet been implemented. After discussing the issues concerning the teachers, he assured he would take up the matter in the special Assembly session, which will begin from Monday, and discuss with the matter with Sadananda Gowda and Kageri.
He stressed that he will make efforts to find solutions for the same and urged them to withdraw their hunger strike. When the teachers refused to withdraw their strike till the orders were issued by the government to release grantin- aid, Yeddyurappa asked them to give three days’ time and later resume their hunger strike, if he could not solve their problems.
However, when the teachers told him that they will let him know only after holding discussions with their leaders, the former chief minister looked disappointed and left the venue. Local MLA Chandrakant Bellad was present.