Karnataka reissues 2013 order restricting govt school use, seen as curb on RSS activities
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Bengaluru: The Congress-led Karnataka government has reissued an old circular originally dated February 7, 2013, which prohibits the use of government school premises for private or non-academic purposes. The move, seen as a precursor to curbing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activities in schools, follows a recent request from Minister for RDPR, IT, and BT Priyank Kharge seeking a ban on RSS events in public educational institutions.
The circular, issued by the Commissioner of the Karnataka Public Instruction Department and signed by then Commissioner S.R. Umashankar, states that school grounds and premises should only be used by students for daily academic and physical education activities. It further directs that no permissions should be granted or proposals forwarded for activities unrelated to educational purposes.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed that the decision to reissue the circular was due to Priyank Kharge’s letter urging action against RSS programs in public spaces, including schools and colleges. The reissued order, they said, would provide the legal basis to implement such restrictions statewide.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly asked Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to examine the demand for banning RSS activities in public institutions and to study similar measures taken in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Home Minister G. Parameshwara clarified that while the issue was not part of the scheduled cabinet meeting agenda, it could be taken up as an additional item. “There is already a rule against allowing private or religious activities in government spaces. This is not new, but it has not been strictly enforced. We will see what decision is taken if the matter comes up in the cabinet,” he said.
Officials indicated that the cabinet may discuss the matter later in the day to decide on the next steps for implementing the restriction across the state.
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Kasaragod: District Collector’s office receives bomb threat from Ukraine
Kasaragod: Security was stepped up at the Kasaragod District Collector’s office after an email warning of a bomb threat was received on Friday evening.
Officials said the message prompted an immediate response from the police, who alerted senior officers and rushed security teams to the spot. The bomb disposal squad and dog squad were also pressed into service.
A detailed search was carried out inside the Collector’s office and in the surrounding premises. Police later confirmed that no explosives or suspicious items were found during the operation.
Preliminary investigation showed that the threat email originated from Ukraine. Police have begun efforts to trace the sender and verify the source of the message.
