Meghalaya: Contractual teachers continue protests outside Secretariat. Police use tear gas, lathi charge

On October 7, contractual teachers continued staging protests outside the Meghalaya Secretariat, demanding the reinstatement of service. This comes a day after the police stopped them from storming the Secretariat, as stated in a report by The Indian Express. 

Additionally, the police are facing criticism for using tear gas and lathi charge on Thursday. Giving more details on this, City Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem told PTI, "We had to use mild force and burst tear gas shells to stop the agitators from storming the Secretariat, a place where Section 144 CrPC is in force." Further, he outright refused allegations that police lathi-charged and had injured some of those who were a part of the crowd on Thursday, along with their family members, children and members of social organisations. But pregnant teachers were reportedly among the agitators and the action against them by the police has incited criticism. 

Condemning this incident, the Trinamool Congress party leader and Opposition Chief Whip George B Lyngdoh said, "The government has gone deaf and dumb. I think it is the collective responsibility of the entire cabinet to ensure safety and to provide livelihood."