Imphal, August 19 2010: In protest against a demand allegedly made by PREPAK to teachers for a 2% cut from their monthly salaries, students and teachers of the Popular High School, Khurai Kongpal Laishram Leikai in Imphal East District today staged a sit-in protest at the school premises suspending all classes .

The sit-in protest, started at about 10.30 am, displaying placards like 'Make education, a free zone', 'No monetary demands to schools', 'Allow us to study in a peaceful atmosphere'.

A teacher taking part in the protest said that in the month of July, an alleged member of the PREPAK demanded payment of 2% of the monthly salaries of each teacher and non-teaching staff of the school.

They also demanded that the payment be made within a week.

On August 17 last, a youth claiming to be a PREPAK cadre came to the school during the school hours and openly asked the teachers to pay 2 % of their salaries to him as party funds.

There was a heated argument with the cadre and the teachers refused to give in.

An hour later after the cadre left the school, another youth claiming to belong to the same outfit came and again asked for the money.

This time, the teachers asked him to produce documents to prove that he was sent by the higher authorities of the party.

He left the school warning to ensure payment of the money and said that he would come back with a letter head of the party.

He also threatened dire consequence if the teachers failed to meet his demands, the teachers said.

Since then, the academic atmosphere of the school has remained disturbed as teachers are not able to concentrate in taking classes, said the students who were taking part in the protest.

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