Teacher punished for Siddaramaiah post says ‘suspension like throwing mud on white shirt’

“Chief ministers who have made debts (in crores): SM Krishna 3590; Dharam Singh- 15,635; HDK-3545; BSY- 25,653; S Gowda- 9464; J Shettar- – 13,464; Siddu-2,42,000,” read the Facebook post. “From SMK to Shettar, the total loan was 71,331. Siddu made a loan of 2,42,000. Hence it is easy for him to give freebies,” the post added.

A teacher of a state run lower primary school in Karnataka has been suspended for his FB posts criticising CM Siddaramaiah for his policies. He merely pointed out that latter could promise so many freebies because the state’s debt always rose when he helmed the Govt.

Truth hurt? pic.twitter.com/Q8FP4By5tW

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 22, 2023

Murthy had been working at a lower primary school in Hosadurga taluk of Chitradurga district for the past 10 years. He taught Kannada, mathematics and science. With his suspension, the school with a strength of 30 students has only one teacher now.

“I am really heartbroken after the suspension. My family too is pained by this decision. I have been working for the school for the last decade diligently. I ensured I delivered all the schemes and benefits introduced by the government to the students. This is like throwing mud on a white shirt,” Murthy said, adding that he was ready to face the departmental inquiry and would detail the timeline of events in a letter and if required would direct his friend to write to the department.

Ravishankara Reddy, deputy director of public instruction in the district, said, “As government officials, we are all bound by the rules and regulations. It is clearly a violation when a government official insults a chief minister of the state when he is in the post. As a teacher, the priority should be to ensure quality education.”

Annapurnamma B L, headmaster of the school, said, “Once the school opens after the summer break, it will be difficult for us to continue the classes without Murthy. It will now become a single-teacher school. I will request the government to depute a teacher after the summer break.”

Murthy was suspended on Saturday for allegedly violating the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1966. The school education department has ordered an inquiry into the matter.