Bagh Lingampally: Teachers associations merge, form new body

Bagh Lingampally: The merger of Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation (TPTF), Telangana Teachers Federation (TTF) and Telangana Democratic Teachers Federation (TDTF) was announced here in a programme organised by Vidya Parirakshana Committee at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram on Sunday.

The General Secretary of Vidya Parirakshana Committee, Professor Hara Gopal, announced the merger of teacher associations. He said that the three associations shared same ideology and had worked earlier under the Andhra Pradesh Teachers Federation (APTF) and the new outfit would henceforth be referred to as Telangana Progressive Teachers' Federation (TPTF).

Vidya Parirakshna Committee chairman Professor Chakradhar Rao said that the new body would strive for the welfare of teachers and resolution of various issues faced by teachers in the state. Expressing concern over fascist tendencies and commercialisation of education, he hoped that the new body would participate in various movements taken up by All India Forum for Education Rights and Vidya Parirakshna Committee to save the education sector.

Condemning repressive measures both at the Centre and in the state, he exhorted the newly formed association to fight against state repression and anti-democratic tendencies of the governments. Former APTF president A Narsimha Reddy, Upadyaya Darshini editor K Venugopal, former TPTF president B Kondal Reddy, former general secretary V Manohar Raju, K Narayana, T Hanmandlu, CH Ramulu, A Ramachandram, Dr G Lachaiah, V Pentaiah, B Yadagiri and others spoke on the occasion.

They demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao fulfil the promises he made to the teachers, initiate promotions and recruitments for vacant posts, withdraw CPS pension system and revive the old pension scheme and allocate 30 per cent funds to education sector as per the recommendations of Kothari Commission.

Later, the state committee of the new body was formed. K Ramana was elected as president. Other office-bearers are: Y Ashok Kumar, associate president; Maisa Srinivas, general secretary; M Tirupati, additional secretary; B Ramesh, Ravinder, Narayanamma, Tirupati Reddy and Kishan Rao, vice-presidents; P Nagamani, secretary; Nagi Reddy and K Ramachari, members.