State repeals archaic practice of roping in teachers
as witnesses
Teachers across Maha rashtra are set
to witness a welcome change in the government's at titude towards them.After
decades of using them as panchs (witnesses) in criminal and court proceedings,
the state home department has decided to do away with the practice.
A
witness is a respected person from a locality where a crime murder, suicide,
robbery, road accident, etc. has taken place. Such persons are called to the
crime scene and their statement is recorded.
Their testimony carries a lot of weight in the court as it doesn't allow
anyone to tamper with the evidence, at a later stage, gathered from the crime
spot. Education Minister Vinod Tawde said there are six lakh government
teachers in the state and nearly half of them have been used as witnesses. “The police used to take the help of teachers
as they are a respected community. However, over the years, this has become a
nuisance for the teachers.“
Tawde
said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has cleared the proposal to repeal the
practice. The home department now plans to rope in employees from other
government department for the purpose.
“I
have also heard cases where teachers have been dragged out of their homes in
the middle of the night by the police for being a witness. At times, students
have spread rumours of a teacher's arrest following his visit to a police
station,“ said Tawde.
Another
compelling reason for this change of heart was waste of time which ultimately
affected students. “The witness teachers would spend a lot of time in courts.
In some cases, students were also called to courts. I had been petitioning the
home department to change the rules for past three months. Finally, they
accepted the idea.“
Prasahant
Redij, spokesperson of Maharashtra Principal Association welcomed the move.
“Teachers would be insulted and even pressured to change their statement by
vested interests. Our association always opposed the practice.“
Uday
Nare of Shikshak Bharti and a teacher in Hansraj Morarji public school and
junior college said, “Being a soft target, teachers are often intimidated by
criminals. A teacher's job is to teach. They must be spared from criminal
proceedings.“
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Librarian
Khaitan & Co
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