Bhubaneswar: Teachers from schools and colleges from across Odisha took out a padayatra from Pipili to the state capital to protest against the state government's provision for compulsory submission of affidavits to be eligible for grant-in-aid facility.

They alleged that the government asked them to sign affidavits to get financial benefits. However, it also came with a rider stating that once submitted, the affidavit would prevent teachers from staging any kind of protests in the future, they alleged.

"The affidavit for grant-in-aid was a violation of fundamental rights. Although it promises financial benefits, it will harm us as well," said said Prakash Mohanty, leader of the agitating teachers.

They said they would be forced to boycott the upcoming Matric and Plus-II examination duty if the state government persisted with its decision.

Golak Nayak, a member of the group and convener, slammed the chief minister's personal secretary V.K. Pandian and additional chief secretary G.V.P Sharma.

"We were elated when the government abolished the block grant system. Some of the bureaucrats hatched a conspiracy to introduce the affidavit," he said.

Higher education minister Ananta Das said: "They do not have any demands, but have only challenged the procedure of the affidavit system. Any changes to that would require discussions with the law and finance departments, development commissioner, ministers and secretaries of higher education and school and mass education departments."

He added that a decision would be taken at the earliest.