3 min readUpdated: Mar 22, 2026 07:56 PM ISTPunjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann (Image: @BhagwantMann/X)Hours before Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was scheduled to address a programme in Jalalabad of Fazilka district Sunday, the Punjab Police teams attempted to detain teacher union leaders from 3704 Adhyapak union to avert the protest.In Moga district, the police even entered a government school to detain a teacher for hours, and left only after the CM’s programme was over at Jalalabad.Yadwinder Singh, Punjabi master, Government Senior Secondary School, Rania, Moga district, and state secretary of the union, said that four cops reached his home late on Saturday around 7 pm and accompanied him to the school in the morning, where he was on duty for the National India Literacy Programme (NLIP) exam on Sunday.“Despite my repeated requests to the police not to accompany me inside the school where I had exam duty, they did not listen and came along. They kept sitting there till 2.30 pm till the CM progamme was ongoing at Jalalabad. I even told them to keep my phone and assured me that I won’t go to Jalalabad to participate in the protest but they still came inside the school premises,” said Yadwinder.He added that the police also tried to house arrest five-six other leaders of their union and reached their home Saturday night.The 3704 Teachers union has been agitating to get their full pay scale restored for over six years. “We were recruited in 2020 under master cadre following an advertisement given by the Punjab government promising Punjab pay scale. But when we got appointment letters, we were told that we were being recruited under the Centre’s pay scale.The Centre’s pay scale was also modified by the then finance minister Manpreet Badal under the Congress government. Since then we have been fighting in the court as well as outside to get our rightful pay. Despite winning the case in the court, we are being paid less,” said Yadwinder.Story continues below this adHe added that at Jalalabad, where the union leaders reached to protest at the CM’s programme venue, the administration assured their meeting with the CM. “However, later a secretary-level official met my colleagues but they haven’t been assured of any concrete action. Our struggle will continue, no matter how much they try to suppress us,” he said.Inspector Gurmel Singh, SHO of Badhni Kalan police station, said that teachers were detained to avoid “any law and order situation at Jalalabad where CM was scheduled to arrive”. “Police can go anywhere if law and order has to be maintained, even if it’s a school,” said the SHO.Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Ludhiana (Punjab). She is widely recognized for her human-interest storytelling and in-depth investigative reporting on social and political issues in the region. Professional Profile Experience: With over 13 years in journalism, she joined The Indian Express in 2012. She previously worked with Hindustan Times. Education: A gold medalist in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Core Beats: She covers a diverse range of subjects, including gender issues, education, the Sikh diaspora, heritage, and the legacy of the Partition. She has also reported on minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awards and Recognition Divya has earned significant acclaim for her sensitivity toward gender and social disparities: Laadli Media Award (2020): For her investigative report "Punjab: The Invisible Drug Addicts," which exposed the gender disparity in treating women addicts. Laadli Media Award (2023): For a ground report on the struggles of two girls who had to ride a boat to reach their school in a border village of Punjab. Signature Style Divya is known for "humanizing the news." Rather than just reporting on policy, she often focuses on the individuals affected by it—such as students dealing with exam stress, farmers struggling with diversification, or families impacted by crime. Her work often bridges the gap between West (Pakistan) and East (India) Punjab, exploring shared heritage and common struggles. X (Twitter): @DivyaGoyal_ ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd