In a recent development, a government school teacher from Chitradurga has faced suspension for openly criticising the Congress-led government’s five guarantees that have to do with distribution of freebies.
Shanthamurthy M. G., a teacher at Kaanubenahalli was suspended from his post on May 20 following a controversial post shared on his personal Facebook account.
Shanthamurthy M. G. in his Facebook post, raised concerns about Siddaramaiah, who had previously served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018. Alleging that Siddaramaiah had incurred the highest debts during his previous tenure, the teacher expressed his apprehension about the Chief Minister returning to power and potentially repeating the same financial missteps.
The post also highlighted the debts accumulated by other Chief Ministers during their respective tenures, shedding light on the financial burden faced by the state. Shanthamurthy’s post concluded with a sarcastic question, asking why wouldn’t the current Chief Minister continue to distribute freebies despite the concerning state of debt.
In the now deleted post, Shanthamurthy went on to present a comprehensive list of Chief Ministers, shedding light on the substantial debts they had amassed during their respective tenures. The list encompassed prominent figures like S. M. Krishna, burdened with a debt of Rs. 3,590 Crore, Dharam Singh with a staggering Rs. 15,635 Crore, H. D. Kumaraswamy with Rs. 3,545 Crore, B. S. Yediyurappa with an imposing Rs. 25,653 Crore, D. V. Sadananda Gowda with Rs. 9,464 Crore, Jagadish Shettar with a notable Rs. 13,464 Crore, and Siddaramaiah alleged to have accumulated a colossal debt of Rs. 2,42,000 Crore. Posing a further query in his Facebook post, Shanthamurthy pondered, “Why wouldn’t he give more freebies?”
The repercussion of his post was swift, as the State Education Department suspended Shanthamurthy on the very day Siddaramaiah was sworn in for his second term as Chief Minister. According to reliable sources, the suspension was attributed to a violation of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) rules of 1966.
Siddaramaiah, chaired his first Cabinet meeting shortly after taking the oath of office. During the meeting, the Chief Minister assured the public that his Government would fulfill all five promises outlined in the Congress party’s election Manifesto. However, he also acknowledged that implementing these promises would come at a significant cost, estimating an annual expenditure of Rs 50,000 Crore for the State Government.
The incident involving Shanthamurthy and his subsequent suspension highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the Government’s allocation of resources, particularly in the form of freebies.