The movement for justice and fair play started by the Guru Harkrishan Public School Teachers received a shot in the arm today when a group of former students -boys and girls reached Gurdwara Bangla Sahib and prayed for an early resolution of the Teaching as well as non-Teaching staff’s disputes with DSGMC in the 14 schools managed by the premier Delhi Sikh body, which is hanging fire for more than a decade.

SPORTING “SAVE GHPS -SAVE OUR PRIDE” T-SHIRTS, a group of former students from various Guru Harkrishan Public Schools in Delhi, despite being restrained by the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib attendants from performing Ardas, stayed polite and performed Ardas and sought the well-being of hundreds of teachers and thousands of students, studying in the 14 Guru Harkrishan Public Schools, whose studies have been hampered because of the ongoing agitation by the teachers and the unrelenting attitude of the DSGMC.

The statistics uncovered by The World Sikh News are staggering. As many as 888 Teachers and their families are suffering due to the negligence of the DSGMC. For many teachers, the 6th Pay Commission dues pending for 10 years.

Similar is the case of 771 Non-Teaching staff in these schools, to whom justice has not been meted out.

Scores of cases are pending against the DSGMC lodged by teachers and non-teaching staff in various courts of Delhi.

The love for their Alma Mater was oozing out of their discipline and decorum that they maintained while squatting for close to an hour at the historic Delhi Sikh shrine on a Sunday morning with a large Sangat looking in awe at them and a few attempting to learn the reason for their coming to the Gurdwara Sahib.  It was evident that the students were able to drive the point home about the travails of their teachers before the Sikh Sangat visiting the Gurdwara Sahib.

Speaking to WSN, a young participant in this unique event said, ”I have no axe to grind. We are engrossed in our studies and career enhancement. We have come here to express our love for our schools and teachers in gratitude. Our teachers have shaped our lives and we wish the same for all students. Neither the teachers nor students should lose focus.”

“I appeal to the Sangat to join hands with our teachers and help them get salaries and other dues in these difficult times. They should not be wasting their time in agitations but enabling students in this difficult lockdown period. In these difficult times, they are being forced to protest.  I do not understand why the authorities do not understand this simple thing.” he added.

Speaking to WSN, Guru Harkrishan Public School Teachers Association General Secretary Jaswant Kaur, who was recently suspended for her campaign to get salary and other dues said, “I appreciate the grand gesture by students cutting across religious lines. Their support will enable us to continue with our protests for justice against the DSGMC.”

It would have been a grand gesture by the DSGMC management if someone from amongst the top leadership would have spoken to the silently protesting students and attempted to pacify them and allay their fears about the future of the Guru Harkrishan Public Schools.