A government school headteacher has been suspended in Telangana for allowing students to celebrate the birthday of former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
Rao marked his 71st birthday on February 17, and celebrations were organised by his Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party leaders in different pockets of the state, including Hyderabad.
The headteacher of MPP School in Nandavanam Colony of Hastinapur had allowed the students to hold a public function on the school premises to celebrate the birthday, it is alleged. “These celebrations were held under the supervision of a former corporator, with the presence of school students,” the order issued to suspend the headteacher said.
Speaking to The Indian ExpressDistrict Educational Officer Suseendra Rao said the headteacher was suspended because she allowed a “political meeting” in a government facility. “As per service rules, such political activity cannot be held in any government school,” Rao said.
The order stated that “the activities” violated “TGCS Conduct Rules, 1964, and guidelines set by the education department”. During the suspension, the teacher will not be allowed to leave the headquarters and will be eligible only for subsistence allowance, the order states.
Sources in the education department alleged that the meeting was held in the presence of over 50 school students. A cake was cut and celebratory songs were sung during the event, education department authorities claimed. Slogans in support of BRS were also raised by political leaders who had gathered at the event, it is alleged.
The BRS, which was in power in Telangana for a decade, is currently in Opposition after the Congress, under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddydefeated KCR and his party in 2023.
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