scorecardresearch
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIndiaAfter backlash, Telangana govt rescinds order asking teachers to seek permission to...

After backlash, Telangana govt rescinds order asking teachers to seek permission to buy properties

Issued by the Telangana government earlier this month, the order directed all public school teachers and employees to submit annual property statements.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

Hyderabad: Facing backlash from teachers’ unions and the opposition, Telangana government has issued a hold on the implementation of its order directing public school teachers to seek prior permission before entering into purchase or sale of movable or immovable properties.

Applicable to all employees working under the jurisdiction of the state School Education department, the order – a copy of which has been accessed by ThePrint – was issued earlier this month but came to light Saturday after it was circulated to district-level officials. 

The order mentions that it was issued after a vigilance report pointed out that Javeed Ali, headmaster of a government school in Guntipally village in Nalgonda district, had been active in politics, making real estate settlements, while not attending school regularly.

In the order dated 8 June 2022, the state government had asked regional joint directors of school education and district educational officers to instruct all public school employees under their jurisdiction to submit annual property statements.

Within hours of a copy of the order going public, Telangana Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy suspended the order after widespread backlash from public school teachers and employees.

ThePrint reached out to state School Education Director Madan Mohan, who signed the order, via text messages and calls but could not get a response. This copy will be updated once a response is received.

Just last year, public school teachers in Telangana had launched a protest against a government order introducing a zonal system in the allocation of teaching jobs. Government school employees objecting to the order had said that it failed to consider their nativity, allocated permanent posts and transferred them to districts other than their own.


Also Read: How parents & teachers are helping toddlers of pandemic generation take first steps into school


‘Govt should issue similar diktats to politicians’

“If there are allegations against one particular headmaster, why should we all be punished,” asked the headmaster of a government school in Warangal district, who spoke to ThePrint on condition of anonymity about the order that has now been rescinded.

The headmaster said: “Why should we take permission before buying assets or anything? Or even declare them, separately? IT [income tax] returns are filed anyway. And do you think government school teachers earn so much that they can buy properties which could come under scanner? This is irresponsible, the government should take action against that one person.”

Adding that several politicians have allegations of corruption against them, the headmaster asked, “How efficient would it be if the government issued similar diktats to them? When it comes to us, the entire fraternity is under scanner for someone’s mistakes.”

Meanwhile, opposition parties Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the Telangana government for the order, accusing it of ‘harassing’ the teaching community.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Congress MP from Bhongir, reportedly condemned the move, saying the order was an insult to the entire teaching community and an attempt to “terrorise” them.

“It is ridiculous on the part of the KCR government to suspect the teachers, who were providing education to the students, as if they were amassing ill-gotten wealth. The government itself has not been paying the salaries of teachers on time and resolving their issues pending for several years. Yet, it is suspecting that they are getting assets every year,” state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay said in a statement Saturday.

The Telangana BJP president demanded that before asking teachers to disclose their assets, Chief Minister KCR and his family members should make annual disclosures of their genuine assets, including alleged “wealth stashed in other countries”.

“Similarly, all the cabinet colleagues of the chief minister and MLAs of the TRS [Telangana Rashtra Samithi] should disclose the details of their respective assets every year,” he demanded.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)


Also Read: Rs 5,000 crore — RTI reply reveals what Telangana govt owes Hyderabad civic body in property tax


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular