The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to
pay the due salary of Manikala Tamang, a primary school teacher in
Darjeeling, who was forced to leave the hills in 2008 following threats
from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).
Manikala, who is around 56 years old, taught at a primary school
in Darjeeling since 1997. Since she was associated with GNLF, GJM’s
women outfit allegedly started threatening her as the outfit started
gaining strength in the hills. She was “forced” to leave Darjeeling and
as a result failed to attend school from June 2008.
The state government soon stopped her salary. With the condition
in the hills still not “favourable” for her return during 2009 to 2010,
Manikala wrote a detailed letter to the chairman of District School
Board and Administrator, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC)
explaining about her situation. However, no action was taken and she
started living outside Darjeeling . In 2011, she approached the District
School Board and DGHC urging them to transfer her to Siliguri or nearby
areas.
Advocate Anjan Bhattacherjee, counsel of Manikala, said the DGHC
sent a letter to his client in September last year asking her to explain
why she did not attend the school since 2008. Following such she filed a
writ petition in the Calcutta High Court.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Debasish Kargupta today
directed the state government to pay her due salary pending since 2008
by September 30. The court also directed the government to consider her
transfer by the same date.
Source: Express news service : Kolkata, Wed Sep 19 2012.
Post a Comment
We love to hear from you! What's on your mind?