Kerala HC questions teacher suspension over Savarkar quiz question
The Kerala High Court is seeking a response from the state government regarding the suspension of a teacher over a quiz question about VD Savarkar. The court questioned the grounds for suspension, citing the need for a specific reason and the initiation of disciplinary proceedings.
Key takeaways
- The Kerala High Court has asked the state government to explain why a teacher was suspended over a quiz question about VD Savarkar.
- The court questioned if a teacher should be suspended for posing a question, even if it was framed in a way that could be misleading.
- The government has until August 17 to provide its response to the writ petition.
- The teacher claims his suspension violates the Kerala Education Act and government rules.
The Kerala High Court has requested the state government provide its reasons for suspending a school teacher from Kasaragod district. The teacher is challenging his suspension, which resulted from a question he posed about VD Savarkar for an interschool quiz competition.
Justice Viju Abraham questioned the basis of the suspension, asking the government pleader to clarify the specific reasons. The court also raised concerns about suspending the teacher when disciplinary proceedings had already begun, questioning if posing a question, even a potentially incorrect one, constituted an illegal act warranting suspension.
The state government has been given until August 17 to submit its response. The suspended teacher, Guruprasad Rai K (44), teaches at the Government Upper Primary School in Pallathadka. The 'Freedom Quiz' question in question was: “who is the freedom fighter who received the most punishment at the hands of the British?”, with Veer Savarkar listed as the correct answer in the key.
An inquiry into the matter found the framing of the question, which could create a misleading impression, to be a serious issue. The petitioner alleges his suspension was ordered by the minister of general education and contravenes the state government's Rules of Business, further arguing it violates the Kerala Education Act.
Sources reviewed
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