Two employees associated with the Department of Public Instruction — a teacher serving with a government primary school and a cluster resource person — have been suspended from service for sharing messages on social media critical of the recent request from Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa for donations from the public for COVID-19 relief works.
Dakya Naik, a teacher serving with the government higher primary school in Thimmapura village of Sorab taluk, had shared an audio clipping on WhatsApp in which the Chief Minister was criticised for requesting the public to chip in funds. The audio also had suggestions for the Chief Minister on mobilising resources from various sources to handle such exigences.
Sri Raju, a cluster resource person serving with the department, was the administrator of the WhatsApp group in which Mr. Naik posted the audio clip. He also endorsed the opinion voiced in it.
In a press release, K.M. Vaishali, CEO of Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat, said that prima facie, it was evident that both Mr. Naik and Mr. Raju had acted in contravention to their service conditions by showing disrespect to elected representatives.
The CEO also said that when the people were in distress owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, the duo had acted in an irresponsible manner by spreading misinformation about the State government and the Chief Minister. They were both suspended by invoking the Karnataka Civil Services Rules, and a probe has been ordered into the matter.
