Why RSS-linked teachers’ body has written to EC over SIR

New Delhi: Amid the controversy over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) has shot off a sharply-worded letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The RSS-linked teachers' body has expressed grave concern over SIR of electoral rolls, an Indian Express report said. The SIR exercise is currently underway in nine states and three Union Territories (UTs). The ABRSM has called for both an extension of the stipulated deadline and Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who died allegedly while carrying out the process.

The teachers' body has dubbed the workload on BLOs as “unethical” and the targets “unrealistic”. ABRSM said the pressure and intimidation faced by teachers deployed as BLOs “is contrary to both the dignity of elections and the respect of the teaching community”.

Also Read

Bizarre: Four men try to cremate mannequin to fake employee’s death for Rs 50 lakh insurance payout

Cyclone Ditwah tracker: Latest path, landfall timing and areas likely to receive heavy rain

Haryana crime: Man kills mother and her alleged lover of 15 years, takes bodies to police station in pick-up vehicle

It is to be noted that ABRSM was established in 1988. It apparently has a membership of 13.5 lakh teachers across 29 states and UTs.

The letter was sent to the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar through ABRSM general secretary Geeta Bhatt. In the letter, ABRSM pointed out the SIR of electoral rolls “is a crucial exercise in the country’s democratic process” and the accuracy of the voter lists “is the cornerstone of fair elections, and the teaching community has always faithfully fulfilled this national responsibility”.

However, the BLOs have been reeling under a host of issues, ABRSM claims. According to the letter, the process has resulted in increase in “depression, stress, and suicide among BLOs” who face “excessive workload, 16-18 hours of daily field and portal work, and lack of technical facilities”.

The ABRSM letter points out that “abusive behaviour by officials has led to severe mental stress among BLO teachers in several states. Sadly, some cases have even resulted in tragic suicides, which not only disturbs the teaching community but also represents a clear violation of human rights”. It adds: “This administrative practice cannot be considered in accordance with the ethical standards of democratic institutions.”

It has also pointed to technical snags like “frequent crash of the BLO app and portal, lack of network connectivity, OTP failures, data upload failures, and a lack of technical training”. To resolve these, BLOs often have to depend on their own personal resources, it says.

“Under pressure to meet unrealistic targets in a short time, several BLOs are faced with (the prospect of) withholding of their salary, show-cause notices, chargesheets, suspensions, threats of FIRs, and abusive behavior. This intimidating atmosphere created during work is contrary to both the dignity of elections and the respect of the teaching community,” the letter, as mentioned by the Indian Express report, says.

The letter has asked for extension of SIR deadline “to ensure stress-free, accurate and quality work”. It has demanded Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job for the kin of BLOs “who have died prematurely or by suicide due to pressure from the SIR”. The letter has also called for high-level probe and prosecution of the guilty in all such cases.