‘Teachers hungry for more salary’: Gujarat minister sparks row, federation seeks apology

GODHRA : Gujarat minister Ramesh Katara has triggered a controversy by allegedly making disparaging remarks about teachers and claiming that they were hungry for higher salaries, prompting a teachers' body to demand an apology and withdrawal of the statement.

The minister of state for agriculture was speaking at a public function on Saturday in Godhra town of Panchmahal district to mark 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

He contrasted present-day development with conditions under previous governments and also commented on teachers and their salaries. Referring to the education sector, Katara said that in the past, school facilities in villages were inadequate, and teachers worked for meagre salaries.

"Today, they receive such high salaries...Yet, their hunger is still not satisfied. They still protest. They protest against Modi Saheb and the government. Ask our elders, they used to work for Rs 500 or Rs 1,000. Today, look at how much salary they get. Still, they are not ready to work," he said.

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Teachers' body demand apology

The minister also alleged that many teachers remained occupied with mobile phones instead of teaching and advised them to "make others happy" if they themselves were happy. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Prathamik Shaikshik Mahasangh, a teachers' body affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh.

In a statement, the federation's Gujarat president Aniruddhsinh Solanki termed the comments "highly objectionable and condemnable" and accused the minister of making factually incorrect claims regarding pay commissions for teachers.

"He mentioned that teachers have received benefits of the 8th Pay Commission and the 10th Pay Commission. This is absolutely and entirely false. He also made a statement implying that teachers remain hungry (for more salary). We strongly condemn these remarks," Solanki said.

"We demand that the minister withdraw the statement and apologise to more than 2.5 lakh teachers of Gujarat," he said. The federation said teachers play a vital role in society and their dignity must be protected. There was no immediate response from Katara to the criticism.