The Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Pragatisheel) has given a clarion call for struggle against the anti teacher policies of the State and Central governments. This was announced at the end of a two day district level conference of the organization in Rawatsar, Hanumangarh District on September 10-11, 2007. The conference was attended by over 300 teachers of the district, as well as many local dignitaries.

Guruji Hanuman Prasad Sharma, the President of the Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Pragatisheel), made the main presentation at the Conference. He called upon the teachers to heed the plight of the toilers and tillers of India, who are greatly oppressed and looking for a way out of their miserable situation. He cautioned the teachers to be vigilant of the all sided attacks on our livelihood and rights in this period of globalization. Comrade Hanuman Prasad drew appropriate lessons from the great Ghadar of 1857 and pointed out that in that great ghadar, pandits and maulvis, the teachers of that time, had made common cause with the artisans, peasants and other working people as well as various rulers. The colonialists deliberately introduced the McCauley system of education to berate our educationists and education system and make it incapable of serving the needs of Indians. Pointing out that this is the birth centenary year of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, he pledged that the teachers of Rajasthan would try to fulfil the unfulfilled vision of Bhagat Singh and his comrades.

Addressing the Conference, Prakash Rao, All India Convenor of Lok Raj Sangathan, inspired the teachers to take on the role of real educators and organisers of the people. The real issue, he said, is whether people are in power or not. It does not matter how many times the Congress and BJP change places, people remain oppressed and marginalized. The struggle today in India and world over is for sovereignty to be vested in the hands of the people. Teachers of Rajasthan must prepare to play their role to ensure this.

Prakash Rao elaborated on the Indo-US strategic alliance. Even as the Indian people are opposing the alliance with this most monstrous imperialist power, the forces supporting the alliance are trying to make out that the Indian people are fools, that those opposing the Indo-US alliance are ‘out of tune with the times’. This is absolutely false. Those who are supporting the alliance are the ones who are out of tune with the times, for they have forgotten the heinous crimes of this most bloodthirsty imperialist power all over the world. India’s toiling masses have shed a lot of blood over centuries in defence of sovereignty and freedom and we will do so in the future too. What is important to note is that the Congress, as well as the BJP and the Left Parties refused to even have a parliamentary discussion followed by a vote on the treaty. They are afraid of even letting their own MP’s have a say, lest it create a precedent, and lead to people demanding a say in decision making. He highlighted the demand of Lok Raj Sangathan that the Constitution be amended so that all international treaties need parliamentary ratification and this is preceded by a public debate involving all the people of the country.

The Conference was addressed by Abhishek Matoria Nagarpalika Chariman, Master Bharat Ram Meghwal AICC member, Bhupendra Kaushik, Beghraj Khoth, Jagjit Singh ‘Jaggi’ and Mohar Singh Nyol, members Zilla Parishad, Mulram Makad, Sarita Raghav, jagraj Singh Puniya, Gutti Ram Choudhary, Srimati Alka Puri, Rampratap Sharma, Mahabir Saharal and others.

The spokesperson of the organization told Mazdoor Ekta Lehar that all over Rajasthan, district level conferences of the organization are being held. This is part of the All Rajasthan campaign of the organization to prepare for the struggle which will be launched on March 29, 2007 in Jaipur.