Karnataka teacher suspended for criticising Siddaramaiah over freebies

Bengaluru: A government school teacher in Karnataka was suspended after he criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his freebie policies in a social media post.

Shanthamurthy MG, the teacher from the government school at Kaanubenahalli, Chitradurga district, was suspended on May 20 -- the same day when Siddaramaiah took over as the new Chief Minister.

Shanthamurthy had written on Facebook that among the past Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah incurred the highest debts.

"Debt during the tenure of former Chief Ministers SM Krishna was Rs 3,590 crore, Dharam Singh Rs 15,635 crore, H.D. Kumaraswamy Rs 3,545 crore, B.S. Yeddiyurappa Rs 25,653 crore, D.V. Sadananda Gowda Rs 9,464 crore, Jagadish Shettar Rs 13,464 crore and Siddaramaiah Rs 2,42,000 crore," he said.

The teacher also wrote that while the loans incurred by the state from the tenure of Krishna to Shettar was Rs 71,331 crore but it touched Rs 2,42,000 crore during Siddaramaiah's former tenure (2013-2018).

"Hence it is easy for him to announce freebies," commented the teacher.

Taking a serious note of the teacher's post, the state education department suspended him.

A district official said since the teacher violated Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1966, he was suspended. Higher officials have also ordered a departmental inquiry.

After taking office, Siddaramaiah had announced that the first cabinet meeting had given approval in principle to implement the five guarantee schemes assured in the Congress party's election manifesto.

"The details are being worked out. No matter how much money is required for the schemes, we will implement them as per our promise," he had said.

The Congress had promised Rs 2,000 a month to the female head of a family, monthly dole of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for the educated unemployed, 10 kg of free rice for every member of BPL (below poverty line) families, 200 units of free electricity to each home and free travel for women on state buses.

These poll promises are likely to cost the state an additional Rs 50,000 crore a year.