RMSA-2016 teachers to continue agitation after failed talks with Nagaland government

KOHIMA — The Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association-2016 on Thursday expressed disappointment after a marathon meeting with government officials on their demand for scale pay ended without resolution.

The association has vowed to continue its indefinite agitation, which began on Monday.

The meeting, held at Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima, was the first formal engagement between the agitating teachers and government representatives.

Spread over two sessions and lasting nearly eight hours, including breaks, it concluded without any breakthrough.

“We are not happy with what the government had to respond to us. They are still taking the excuse of the review petition till now,” association spokesperson Renbemo L Patton told reporters following the meeting.

On August 14, Nagaland government filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging a court order that had upheld the RMSA teachers’ case.

Also read: Nagaland: RMSA 2016 teachers launch indefinite protest in Kohima

Nagaland: RMSA teachers to shift protest to Secretariat

However, Patton maintained that no notification has been received from the court and no stay order has been granted. “This means the judgement passed by the High Court in 2022 is still in force,” he said.

The spokesperson reiterated that the agitation will continue until the government implements scale pay. “The government could have implemented the scale of pay since 2022 if it was serious enough,” he asserted, calling the review petition a “clear delay tactic.”

According to the association, it has received letters of support from more than 100 organisations, tribal hohos, and other bodies.

Patton said the “massive support” demonstrates that the teachers’ demand is just. “If we were not on the right path, people would not come forward and support us just like that,” he said.

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He further maintained that the agitation was part of a larger struggle against corruption in the state.

Association president Imlitemjen said that there was “no proposal as such”—when asked about the outcome of the meeting.

According to him, the government only assured that it would act once the review petition is either dismissed or all related formalities are completed.

“We will continue with the agitation until the government comes up with some amicable or acceptable solution,” he said.

Read more: Protesting RMSA-2016 teachers in Nagaland reject government’s appeal to call off stir

Thursday’s dialogue was described as a “tripartite” meeting, with representatives from All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA), government officials, and RMSA-2016 teachers.

The government team was led by the commissioner secretary of School Education, supported by the mission director, joint mission director, senior accounts officer of the directorate, section officer, and programme coordinator of Samagra Shiksha.

The RMSA team included its president, spokesperson, advisor, and five members.

The RMSA-2016 teachers launched their indefinite agitation on Monday outside the Directorate of School Education, Kohima. Beginning Thursday, however, they shifted the protest to Nagaland Civil Secretariat, signalling an escalation of their agitation over the government’s continued failure to meet their demands.

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