Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on Tuesday responded to the ongoing protests by teachers, asking both Central and State Government to scrap the National Pension Scheme (NPS) and bring back the old scheme.

The minister emphasized the need for a discussion to address the issue.

He expressed concerns about individuals becoming overly entrenched in the movement, warning of potential agitation among them.

Further, the minister also suggested political influence from the opposition in the teachers' movement. He reacted to the threats to oust the BJP and said that these stemmed from ego-driven motivations.

The Education Minister urged teachers to prioritize education over politics, underscoring the importance of their role in shaping the nation's future. These remarks come amidst continued protests over NPS-related concerns.

Earlier, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman denied giving the money kept aside for the New Pension Scheme (NPS) to the state governments for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

Sitharaman said, "If any state takes a decision for some reason that the funds of NPS can be collected from the Centre, then it will not be available.”