Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh ministers Tuesday accused a Samajwadi Party MLA of comparing Siksha Mitras -- ad-hoc teachers in primary schools -- with dogs and sought an apology from him for the "insult".

During the Question Hour in the Assembly, SP MLA Rakesh Kumar Verma sought to know from the state's basic education minister about the honorarium paid to Siksha Mitras and whether the government was considering increasing the amount and confirming their services as teachers.

Unsatisfied with the government's reply, he said, "The servant in the house of the minister who takes the dog for a walk also earns a salary of Rs 30,000. The person who goes to the minister's house to hammer nails earns a wage of Rs 1,000 per day. But Shiksha Mitras are paid only about Rs 350 a day, which is very less compared to inflation."

Before the minister concerned could respond to this, senior minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary sought to corner Verma and said, "The member said that our dog walkers also charge Rs 20,000. Will Shiksha Mitras be compared to dogs?" The ruling party members immediately started raising "shame shame" slogan and demanded an apology from the SP legislator. Basic Education Sandeep Singh said the MLA should apologise for "insulting" Siksha Mitras.

Addressing the House, Singh alleged that the MLA raised a question about Shiksha Mitras and compared them to animals. In the last session too, a member of the opposition had compared them to animals, he said.

"This is their sentiment towards Shiksha Mitras. The honourable member should apologise for the insult he has done to a teacher inside the House," the Basic Education minister said.

In a written reply to the SP MLA's question, Singh said Shiksha Mitras is being given an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month.

In view of the inflation, no proposal to increase the honorarium and to consider making Shiksha Mitra a regular teacher is pending with the government, the minister added.