Kolkata, Dec 11 (PTI) The para-teachers, who have launched an indefinite fast demanding hike in salaries, will continue their agitation even after their meeting with West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee on Wednesday was "satisfactory".

Chatterjee said it is up to the para-teachers to call off their stir but he has assured them to consider their demands for pay revision.

"If they don't withdraw the fast even after my promise to consider their demand sympathetically, what can I do. I can only hope good senses will prevail," Chatterjee said.

Over 1000 para-teachers, who work on contract in government-run schools, have been staging a sit-in since November 11 near Bikash Bhavan (higher education department headquarters) in Salt lake, demanding a revision in pay scale.

At least 37 of them are observing an indefinite fast since November 15.

Para-teachers' Oikyo Manch co-convenor Bhagirath Ghosh said, "The discussion with the minister was satisfactory but we want detailed minutes of the meeting for transparency. We will continue our agitation. We are not ready to withdraw the fast with just verbal assurance."

He claimed the minister had sought time to study all the papers and documents related to their demand for revision of salary and granting the status of 'elementary teachers'.

The para-teachers are demanding a salary above the scale of Group D employees of the state, in the region of Rs 22,000-25,000.

The education minister had earlier claimed that before the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011, the erstwhile Left Front government had recruited a large number of para- teachers in an unplanned manner without thinking of the fiscal situation of the state and how to fund their salary in future,

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)