Teachers’ union threatens to boycott UP panchayat elections and vote-counting exercise
At least 32 teachers in Lakhimpur Kheri district have died of COVID19 due to poll duties, alleges the state-level body of the Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, a teachers' union. It has appealed to the State Election Commission to postpone the ongoing panchayat polls and has also threatened to boycott the vote-counting scheduled for May 2.
The union alleges that at least 32 teachers from Lakhimpur Kheri district alone have died after contracting coronavirus infection during their duty in the panchayat polls.
Mohit Shukla and Pratyaksh Srivastava
Lakhimpur Kheri and Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
As Uttar Pradesh gears up for the last phase of panchayat elections (rural body elections) tomorrow, April 29, the state level body of the Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh — a national union of teachers’ — has called for a boycott of the election duty. Its over 1,500 members in Lakhimpur Kheri have also threatened to boycott the vote-counting exercise scheduled for May 2.
The union alleges that at least 32 teachers from Lakhimpur Kheri district alone have died after contracting coronavirus infection during their duty in the panchayat polls. It also alleges that a total of 135 teachers in the state have died of COVID19 as a result of the election duty in the ongoing elections.
Since April 15, when panchayat elections started in the state, these teachers have been put on various election duties amid a massive second wave of the COVID19 pandemic.
“So far, we have counted deaths of 32 union teachers due to COVID, which they contracted during the election duty,” Santosh Maurya, head of Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh’s Lakhimpur Kheri unit, told Gaon Connection.
In a letter addressed to the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission on April 26, the state-level teachers’ union, which is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), appealed to postpone the vote-counting of the panchayat elections.
“Due to large crowds gathering at the polling stations and absence of preventive measures and health facilities, the number of Corona cases has soared. Many teachers who had been assigned the election duty have been infected, many of whom have died as well,” the letter stated.
“Considering these issues and valuing public health, we urge you to postpone the counting of votes on May 2,” the letter signed by Maurya stated.
Teachers at risk
Archana Sharma, a member of the teachers’ union in Lakhimpur Kheri told Gaon Connection that a majority of the teachers who were tasked with conducting the elections, have been showing symptoms of COVID19.
“Things worsened after the second phase of the panchayat elections on April 19. Almost 80 per cent of the teachers who returned from their duty fell sick. There is no testing or screening of people coming to election booths. Physical distancing is nowhere to be seen,” the 42-year-old told Gaon Connection.
“The teachers who were visibly sick and were showing symptoms, even they were not allowed any relaxation by the authorities and were asked to perform their duties,” she alleged. “I wonder how can the government or the authorities be so insensitive,” she said.
Also Read: UP Panchayat Elections 2021: Four-phased schedule announced, voting to begin on April 15
“Such is the apathy and carelessness of the government machinery that even teachers who have died of Corona infection have been assigned the election duty in the fourth phase,” claimed Maurya.
An order issued by the State Election Commission on April 26 mentions the name of an assistant teacher Ravi Prakash, who was a native of Amroha but was posted at Lakhimpur Kheri. When Gaon Connection dialed up 40-year-old Prakash’s phone number mentioned in the order, his brother-in-law informed that he passed away on April 16 after attending the training session for his assigned election duty.
“He died on April 16. Few days earlier he had gone for his election training in Lakhimpur where he suddenly experienced high fever. His health began to deteriorate and I accompanied him to various hospitals in Lakhimpur, but in the wee hours of April 16, he breathed his last,” Amit Vashisht told Gaon Connection. However, it is not known if Prakash died of corona or some other cause, as he was not tested for COVID19.
Maurya told Gaon Connection that despite being an arm of the RSS, the Shaikshik Sangh is solely concerned about the teachers’ welfare. “We will strongly protest against the government if it does not call off the fourth phase of the elections,” he said. “We (BJP and the teachers’ union) might have the same ideological background but we are not owned by the government. We oppose its decision to conduct elections amidst a raging Corona and compromising the lives of thousands of teachers,” he added.
Also Read: Allahabad High Court issues show-cause notice to UP State Election Commission on panchayat elections
Blame game
Amid the second wave of COVID19 pandemic, Uttar Pradesh is registering a daily steep rise in corona cases. In the last 24 hours, it has recorded 29,824 new cases and 266 deaths. So far, 11,943 people have died in the state due to the virus.
The state government claims it was not keen to hold the panchayat elections but was forced to do so.
“Allahabad High Court’s order compelled the state government to conduct the elections,” the state government said in a press statement issued on April 26.
“Contrary to the misinformation campaign against the Yogi government, the decision to conduct the elections of the Gram Panchayats stemmed from the directions of the Allahabad High Court to the Government of the State of Uttar Pradesh,” a statement by the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government said.
Also Read: Allahabad High Court ‘forced’ us to conduct panchayat elections, says the state govt
Meanwhile, taking cognizance of a news report that 135 teachers, shiksha mitras and investigators, who were assigned election duty in the ongoing panchayat elections in UP, have died, the Allahabad High Court has issued show-cause notice to the UP State Election Commission on April 27 to explain why action may not be taken against it and its officials for not enforcing COVID19 protocol during the panchayat elections and to prosecute those responsible for such violations.
Gaon Connection approached the Uttar Pradesh Education Minister Satish Dwivedi for his comments on the issue. The story will be updated as and when his response is received.
“All teachers are our part and parcel, they all have conducted the elections efficiently. They will conduct the vote-counting exercise efficiently as well, we care for them, they are part of our family. Rest, all their problems will be discussed with them and a solution will be devised,” Shailendra Singh, District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri told Gaon Connection.