ASDASG granted ‘verbal permission’ for dharna at DAC premises

GANGTOK, 25 Jan: A section of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan [SSA] and the Human Resource Development Department [HRDD] aligned under the All Sikkim Departmental Adhoc Staff Group [ASDASG] were today granted ‘verbal permission’ by the Superintendent of Police [East], Dr. MS Tuli to sit for a dharna [in pursuance of their demands] at the District Administrative Centre here at Sichey from 27 January onwards.
It may be informed here that ASDASG members tried to secure the permission yesterday but could not owing to Tuesday being a holiday.
“This morning, we had gone to meet the SP [East] in his office and we explained to him that we were seeking permission to sit for a dharna in front of the DAC premises in pursuance of our demand seeking extension of our tenures under SSA. After hearing us out he gave us his verbal consent on the permission to sit for the dharna,” informed ASDASG member, Tenzing Chopel Bhutia, while speaking to NOW!.
“We have been granted permission to sit for the dharna at the DAC premises from 27 January [11 a.m. to 4 p.m.] and can be extended further if the government does not take any steps,” he stated, adding, “We will be contacting all our ASDASG members in all the four districts to come and join us on 27 January in front of the DAC premises to make this dharna a success as this will not only show our unity but will also highlight our plight.”
“We are just seeking social justice, we are neither a political party nor are we political leaders. This is not the voice of a single person, but the voice of all the adhoc teaching and non-teaching persons from all over the state,” stated another ASDASG member Sachin Pradhan.
Stating that the group is not against the government and are rather its supporters, Netra Kharel expressed that this step has been taken to make their future secure and since most of them are nearing the age bar [to compete for government employment], they have been left with no other option.
Likewise, Bimal Chettri also added that the government should not listen to rumors about the group having any political affiliations. “We only want extension and nothing else”, he stated.