ASDASG leaders begin indefinite hunger strike

GANGTOK, 30 Jan: The president, Sonam Sherpa and the vice president, C Tamang of the All Sikkim Departmental Adhoc Staff Group [ASDASG], who have been sitting on a dharna here at the District Administrative Centre [DAC] premises since 27 January, began an indefinite hunger strike on the evening of 29 January.
The hunger strike comes after no intervention was initiated either by the state government or officials from the Human Resource Development Department [HRDD] into the demand of the protesting group that their services under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan be extended. Meanwhile the other members of ASDASG, teaching and non-teaching staff of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan [SSA] and HRDD are continuing with their dharna.
“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,” said the ASDASG president. “We have already submitted our memorandum of grievances and demands to the Minister HRDD and the Secretary HRDD, but no one has got back to us,” he added.
“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,” reiterated ASDASG member, Sachin Pradhan.
Tashi Dorjee, another ASDASG member, added that their protest is for all adhoc [teaching and non teaching] staffs and includes all persons under the supervision of SSA and the HRDD. “We want the media to lay firm stress on this fact and not misguide the general public as we are fighting for social justice and this includes all of us,” he added.
“We appeal to all our adhoc friends that their presence in person means a lot and adds to our efforts to bear fruitful results, let us all come together and make this movement a great success,” added Divyani Subedi and Nisha Rai [ASDASG members] sitting in the dharna.
Meanwhile, the members of ASDASG have not yet been able to get an appointment with the Chief Minister as the CM is in Namchi, South Sikkim.