ASDASG indefinite hunger strike on to its second week

VICE PRESIDENT, C TAMANG ADMITTED TO STNM 
GANGTOK, 05 Feb: All Sikkim Departmental Adhoc Staff Group [ASDASG] president Sonam Sherpa and vice president C Tamang are now into the second week of the indefinite hunger strike, which they started on the evening of 29 January. Meanwhile, the vice president C Tamang was taken to the STNM Hospital today as his health condition deteriorated since he was already on medication before he went on the hunger strike.
It has now been 10 days since the two, along with other members of ASDASG, teaching and non teaching staff of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan [SSA] and HRDD have been sitting on a dharna here at the District Administrative Centre [DAC] premises situated at Sichey.
“We went and met the Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai regarding this issue, who in turn gave us his assurance that he would look into this matter as we are the children of the State”, informed the ASDASG president Sonam Sherpa, while speaking to the media today. The MP also advised them to break their indefinite hunger strike and the dharna, which they declined stating that they want a written assurance and not just verbal assurances, Mr Sherpa added.
“We want the State government to take some action and address the problems being faced by adhoc teachers [teaching and non-teaching] of SSA and HRDD, but till now no official from the state government or the HRD Department has come and spoken to us”, the president stated.
“We will first meet with the Chief Minister, regarding our cause and then if there is no outcome from the meeting we will proceed to meet the Governor and also send a copy of the memorandum to the President of India”, he further said and added that ASDASG has also approached the national media to do a coverage on their plight.
Raising questions about the manner in which the department works, since many adhoc teachers and non-teaching staff working under SSA and the HRDD were earlier regularized by the department, the group wants to know why the department is now following NCTE rules with regard to their appointment. “We also have many incriminating documents, which can be used by us against the department, but that would add a political colour to our cause, which we do not want”, the ASDASG president further stated.
Mentioning that the government in its manifesto and even the Chief Minister had stated that all adhoc teachers and non teaching staff would get regularised, Mr Sherpa asked what had become of that promise now.
According to a Notification [6921, dated 25/04/2011] taken out by the government during its 100 days programme, it is clearly mentioned that all adhoc teachers and non-teaching staff would be regularised, he questioned.
Meanwhile, another female ASDASG member has replaced the vice president C Tamang even as he continues his hunger strike at the hospital.