Ahead of Crucial Assembly Polls, Opposition Slams BJP-Led Uttar Pradesh Gov't for Beating Protesters

In 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Uttar Pradesh held an examination for the recruitment of 69,000 assistant teachers in government schools. The candidates who appeared for the exam have been accusing the state government of irregularities in the recruitment process.

Opposition parties in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government for beating up protesters holding a candlelight march over irregularities in a 2019 exam to recruit 69,000 assistant teachers in the state.

On Saturday evening, a group of protesters was trying to march towards the residence of State Chief Yogi Adityanath in the capital Lucknow.

As protesters declined to stop the event, the police resorted to baton charges to break up the march.

A video purportedly depicting the incident later went viral on social media platforms.

Condemning the state police, Congress parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi on Sunday tweeted in Hindi: "The Uttar Pradesh government beats those seeking employment with batons. Remembers this when the BJP comes to you asking for votes".

रोज़गार माँगने वालों को #UP सरकार ने लाठियाँ दीं-
जब भाजपा वोट माँगने आए तो याद रखना! pic.twitter.com/ZZGg9thd7n

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 5, 2021

BJP parliamentarian Varun Gandhi also slammed his own party's government over the incident. He said in a tweet: "These are also the children of Mother India. Leave aside considering their demands, no one is ready to listen them. Above all, they are beaten barbarically. Just think if they would have been your children, would you have treated them the same way? There are vacancies and you have qualified candidates, so why is recruitment not being done?"

ये बच्चे भी मां भारती के लाल हैं, इनकी बात मानना तो दूर, कोई सुनने को तैयार नहीं है। इस पर भी इनके ऊपर ये बर्बर लाठीचार्ज।

अपने दिल पर हाथ रखकर सोचिए क्या ये आपके बच्चे होते तो इनके साथ यही व्यवहार होता??

आपके पास रिक्तियां भी हैं और योग्य अभ्यर्थी भी, तो भर्तियां क्यों नहीं?? pic.twitter.com/6F67ZDJgzW

— Varun Gandhi (@varungandhi80) December 5, 2021

Earlier, former Uttar Pradesh State Chief and Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the BJP government. He said in a tweet in Hindi: "The BJP is paving the way to become a 'Vishwa Guru' (world leader) by beating future teachers. We are with the demands of 69,000 assistant teachers' recruitment. Today's youth doesn't want the BJP".

भाजपा के राज में भावी शिक्षकों पर लाठीचार्ज करके ‘विश्व गुरु’ बनने का मार्ग प्रशस्त किया जा रहा है।

हम 69000 शिक्षक भर्ती की माँगों के साथ हैं।

युवा कहे आज का ~ नहीं चाहिए भाजपा#भाजपा_ख़त्म pic.twitter.com/Ns1FpknRG7

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 4, 2021

Additionally, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned the barbaric act of the state police. Slamming State Chief Yogi Adityanath, AAP parliamentarian Sanjay Singh said in a tweet in Hindi: "Mr Adityanath you can beat these unemployed youth as much as you want but you should remember two things that these youths voted you into power in the state and the barbaric acts on them will prove to be the last nail in the coffin for you".

आदित्यनाथ जी जितना मन चाहे इन बेरोज़गार नौजवानों को पिटवा लीजिये लेकिन दो बात याद रखियेगा।
1.इन्ही नौजवानों ने आपको सत्ता के शिखर तक पहुँचाया।
2.बेरोज़गारों पर हो रहे जुर्म आपकी सत्ता के ताबूत में आख़िरी कील साबित होगी। pic.twitter.com/VTXX8iyXtY

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) December 4, 2021

The protesting teachers have been demanding that 69,000 assistant teachers be reinstated and 22,000 more seats be added.

A mega recruitment drive and examination for the hiring of 69,000 assistant teachers in government schools was carried out by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2019. The entire process was soon marred by allegations of bias and irregularities, including the allocation of reservations in the merit list of those selected. As a result, candidates belonging to the scheduled caste (SC) and OBC categories – the oppressed class – have been protesting for the past two years.

State assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early 2022 and the issue of the 69,000 assistant teachers has been raised by the opposition several times.