Bhubaneswar, Aug 16 : Hundreds of teachers under the banner of Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association embarked on a three-day long day and night protest in front of the State Assembly here on Wednesday demanding fulfillment of their 21-point charter of demands.

The agitating teachers threatened to intensify their agitation in future if the government did not consider their demands.

The agitating teachers said they were forced to resort to agitation as though the government has made several assurances and promises over the years to fulfill the demands of the teachers but unfortunately it failed to fulfill them.

Teachers from different parts of the state took out a massive rally in protest against the apathy of the government to their demands.

The man demands of the teachers included equal pay for equal work, pension and gratuity, salary as per the recommendations of the 7th pay commission and full grant-in-aid to 194 schools.

The teachers of 194 schools are not getting any salary even after working for years and the students studying in these schools are not getting free books, dresses and other facilities provided by the government in government schools.

They said while some teachers have died, some have retired and some others are on the verge of retirement and finding it difficult to manage their families.

A teacher said in the absence of the pensionary benefit, the teachers are facing a difficult time after their retirement and demanded the government to consider their demands.