Guwahati, Oct. 8: College teachers in Assam have decided to generate public opinion against Dispur's decision to restrain them from speaking to the media.

The Assam College Teachers' Association will organise a nagarik sabha (citizens' meeting) here on Sunday where prominent personalities from different walks of life will participate, discuss the government's order and implications and adopt resolutions on future course of actions.

The general secretary of the association, Jyoti Kamal Hazarika, told The Telegraph on Thursday that the government's order caused resentment among the teaching community and thus the association wanted to generate public opinion on the issue.

"We want to generate public opinion to know whether the order is justified or not. Whether it will curtail democratic rights and suppress the views of college teachers. All such issues will be discussed in detail at Sunday's nagarik sabha," Hazarika said.

The director of higher education, Assam, P. Jidung, last month wrote to the principals of all colleges in the state asking them to restrain faculties of their institutions to speak to the media without permission from the higher authority in the education department.

Jidung in his letter to the principals said it has been observed that some of the college teachers are giving interviews to the print and electronic media and also publishing news item/articles against the state government without taking permission from the government.

According to Jidung, the Rules 16 of the Assam Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965, stipulate that any government employee and official need sanction from the higher authority to speak to the media. It also states that sanction is also necessary to give interviews on television and writing articles for any newspaper.

Since employees of all provincialised colleges in Assam are considered government employees, under the same rule teachers of such institutions will have to abide by restrictions while it comes to handling the media, said Jidung.

Sources, however, said teachers would have no restriction in speaking to the media on academic and research-related issues.

The general secretary of the association said it needs in-depth discussion whether the same rule for government employees and officials could be applicable for college teachers too.

"Responsibilities of college teachers and other government employees are different. So are the roles while speaking to media. The ACTA will give highest emphasis of creating healthy public opinion on the issue," Hazarika said.