CHENNAI: The protest by members of the Tamil Nadu Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers' Association (SGST) demanding "equal pay for equal work" entered its sixth day on Wednesday in Chennai.

The teachers said they have been pressing this demand for several years. They recalled that, based on their representations, the DMK had included the assurance as the 311th promise in its 2021 Assembly election manifesto.

However, even after assuming power, the government has not implemented the commitment, they said.

As part of their intensified agitation, the teachers staged a sit-in in front of the Directorate of Public Instruction entrance in Nungambakkam, causing heavy traffic congestion. Police deployed in large numbers diverted vehicles to alternate routes, leading to inconvenience for motorists. Over 1,500 teachers, including 1,000 women, were detained.

SGST state general secretary Robert said their democratic rights were being denied. "We are only seeking what was promised to us - our rightful salary. While everyone is preparing for the New Year, teachers are on the roads in tears," he said.

Warning of a statewide escalation, the association said that if a solution is not reached by Thursday, the protest would be intensified across Tamil Nadu.