Moallim-e-Urdu students demands degree recognition

Lucknow, Feb 21 (PTI) Six Moallim-e-Urdu degree holders,including three women, today climbed atop a water tank heredemanding the UP government to recognise their degreeequivalent to Basic Training Certificate, police said.

The police later used force to bring down the protesters,who refused to budge, despite assurance by senior officials tolook into their demands.

The protesters -- Baby Shabana, Mansoor Alam, NafeesurRehman, Nujahat Jahan, Ishrat Jahan and Mohd Azam -- climbedatop the tank in Darulshafa MLAs hostel, demanding a meetingwith Chief Minister Mayawati to press for the recognition oftheir degree and appointment as Urdu teachers in primaryschools, police said.

"If CM is busy then we should be given a government orderrecognising our degree equivalent to BTC, otherwise we willcommit suicide after 5 pm," one of the protesters had said.

Initially, the administration tried to negotiate with theprotesters, but when they refused to budge, a police teamclimbed the tank and forcibly brought the protesters down. PTIAVA PG