The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress in Karnataka for suspending two government school teachers for participating in route marches of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), demanding that the action must be revoked.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi led the charge for the BJP and alleged that the Karnataka government acted out of its 'hatred' and called for revoking the suspension order. He further said the grand old party should stop acting with such "vindictiveness".
"Not just in the last 10 or 12 years, but whenever action has been taken against government employees for participating in Sangh activities since the 1970s and 1980s, or whenever attempts have been made to prevent or restrict the activities of the Sangh in one way or another, the courts have struck them down," he said.
Union Minister Heavy Industries and Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy, whose Janata Dal (Secular) is a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Karnataka and at the Centre, also criticised the Congress and asked what wrong was done by the school teachers by participating in the RSS events.
"That is not the issue... what is the fault they have done? Is there any problem in attending the RSS meeting? Did any damages take place? Did it cause any violence?" he told reporters.
The two government school teachers from the Yadgi district -- Gururaj Joshi, assistant teacher at the Government Girls High School in Hunasagi, and Anna Saheb Deshmukh, headmaster of the Government Lower Primary School in Kuppi, Surpur taluk -- were suspended on Thursday by the Karnataka Education Department for participating in an RSS event.
The Education Department held that their participation in RSS Patha Sanchalana prima facie violated provisions of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021. The Congress has defended the action and said government employees must avoid participating in such events.
"If somebody has complained and if the department thinks... they will take action. Why should our employees participate in events of an unregistered organisation," said Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge told reporters Friday.
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