HP govt to dismiss erring teachers in molestation cases

Dharamshala: Appalled at series of sexual harassment and molestation cases involving teachers, Himachal Pradesh government has decided to get tough against erring teachers, even ordering their dismissals from the jobs.

The move comes, just a day after a Sanskrit teacher at a government school in Una district – bordering Punjab, was arrested by the police following a written complaint by 13 students of class-VIII naming the teacher for his open indulgence in molestation. All the students are minor. State's Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj told State assembly on Wednesday that incident at Haroli in Una district was shocking.

"Though, an appropriate legal and disciplinary action has been taken yet the state government will not let such incidents occur again. We will deal it very strictly," he added.

Bhardwaj said the government has powers under Article 311 of the Constitution to order dismissal of the accused teachers after holding a preliminary inquiry. The government was determined to curb such tendencies effectively.

The issue came to fore, after leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri drew attention of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj towards an incident of sexual harassment of the minor girls at a school in his constituency, day before.

"Such incidents happening in the schools, considered as temples of education, is quite worrying. There is growing tendency prevailing among some teachers. They are shamelessly and frequently crossing the limits of decency in their behaviour. The parents send their daughters /girls to schools feeling safe about them. This kind of thing is unacceptable," said Agnihotri.

One reason, he said, could be that the erring teachers are left off easily without action. During the suspensions, their headquarter is also fixed at nearest station giving them chance to threaten complainants.