Delhi L-G stays mass teachers’ transfer, Atishi hails ‘win’

Meanwhile, a political row continued to simmer over the issue on Sunday as the AAP and the BJP locked horns.

Delhi Education Minister Atishi said the move of “withdrawal of the transfer order” was a “win amid our struggle”. In a video message, she said, “On July 2, the BJP supported by the L-G issued the transfer order, in violation of my orders to halt it… and had to finally withdraw the transfer because the AAP, along with the people of Delhi, stopped it from exercising its agenda.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Minister called on the Lieutenant Governor to revoke the order, calling it a “mindless act”. She had ordered to pause the transfer of government school teachers on July 1. However, following the midnight mass transfer, she directed the Chief Secretary to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the errant officers “who wilfully defied” her direction to the Education Department.

Targeting the ruling party, BJP leader Arvinder Singh Lovely earlier on Sunday claimed that the teachers association approached him claiming the issue was being “politicised”.

The GSTA members on Sunday were accompanied by four BJP MPs – Manoj Tiwari, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Yogender Chandoliya, Bansuri Swaraj, and former education minister and party leader Arvinder Singh Lovely, the L-G’s Office said.

GSTA general secretary Ajay Veer Yadav, who led the delegation during the meeting with the L-G, said, “All the government teachers, who were affected earlier, are relieved with the decision…We were very happy to see the L-G express his empathy towards us. Most importantly, he also said at the meeting that teachers can’t perform their duties under pressure.”

“Transferring such a large number of teachers is equivalent to humiliating them. This is an unfortunate decision” – the GSTA quoted the L-G as saying.