Uttarakhand: Arrested school teacher describes her ordeal

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 29 (ANI): Uttara Bahuguna, the school teacher who was arrested in Uttarakhand after alleged misbehaviour with Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, said on Friday expressed determination about what she called fighting for her rights.

"I am not afraid, I haven't done anything wrong. I was just asking for my rights," Bahuguna told ANI.

She claimed that she has only been posted in rural areas of the mountainous state in the last 25 years of her tenure as a teacher.

Describing her ordeal Bhaguna said, "We live here all alone, there is not even a bird around us. How do they expect to live like this?"

She said that she first filed an application for transfer to then Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, who didn't listen to her and questioned her for reaching out to him.

She also accused the government of being corrupt, making her run from pillar to post but not taking any action.

Bahuguna claimed that she met Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat four months ago but even he didn't take any action.

"I met him four months ago, next day I received a call that the application has been forwarded to the Education Secretary. No action was taken after that," she said

Demanding justice, she said, "I want justice for myself and my husband. He died because of this government. I suffered all this because of them."

Earlier on Friday, former chief minister Harish Rawat demanded that her suspension be revoked.

"Our system has become so insensitive that a widowed teacher remained posted in a remote area for 25 years and no one listened to her. I advise the Chief Minister to direct police to release her and revoke her suspension," the former chief minister told ANI

The matter came to light when the incumbent chief minister Trivendra Rawat on Thursday directed the police to arrest Bahuguna for allegedly protesting at his Janata Darbar session in Dehradun.

The Chief Minister also ordered her suspension, after she allegedly used abusive language and showed indecency, while seeking a transfer from a remote location.

In a video of the incident, which went viral, Bahuguna is seen arguing with Chief Minister Rawat after he allegedly dismissed her transfer request. Rawat is heard shouting, "Suspend karo ise abhi (Suspend her immediately). Take her into police custody," following which she was taken out of the hall. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI