Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR : The Arunachal Pradesh Teacher Educators’ Association (APTEA) on Monday announced that it will launch the third phase of its democratic agitation in the form of an indefinite pen-down protest from July 9 across all District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), intensifying its demand for regular salary disbursement through the State Exchequer.

Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here, APTEA president Tayon Dai said the association has rejected the official minutes of its June 23 meeting with Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona, alleging that the document failed to accurately reflect the discussions and assurances made during the meeting.

Dai said the association’s General Body, which met on June 26, has sought a written assurance from the government by July 8 along with a concrete mechanism to ensure regular and uninterrupted salary disbursement through the State Exchequer. Failing this, the association will proceed with the indefinite pen-down protest from July 9.

He informed that members would continue attending their respective institutions but refrain from routine official work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the association. The protest will remain peaceful and democratic, he said.

As part of the agitation, APTEA has also planned an “Itanagar Chalo Andolan” on the 11th day of the pen-down protest, during which members from all 11 DIETs will stage a peaceful dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Dai also warned that the association would resort to an indefinite hunger strike if the issue remains unresolved.

Claiming that DIET employees have faced irregular salary disbursement since 2019 after the payment system shifted to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), Dai questioned whether the employees, recruited through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), were being treated as state or central government staff.

Describing the delay in salary payments as a violation of constitutional rights, Dai said the association has been submitting representations to the government since 2021 but the issue remains unresolved despite repeated assurances.

Under its “No Pay, No Work” campaign, APTEA had earlier observed a one-day pen-down strike on May 29, followed by a two-day strike on June 4 and 5 after its demands remained unaddressed.