Karnataka Legislature secretary S Murthy suspended on charge of financial indiscipline
Bengaluru,Dec 29: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary S Murthy has been suspended, pending a departmental inquiry, on charges of financial indiscipline during the 2016 and 2017 winter sessions of the state legislature in Belagavi.
An official order announcing the action said that he would remain under suspension as per the 'Karnataka Civil Service (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.'
The alleged financial indiscipline is said to have led to excess expenditure during the sessions.
Terming the allegations as "baseless," Murthy said that he would move court, challenging his suspension.
"I have been accused of misleading the then Speaker, but it is not true," he told PTI.
"Has the then Speaker K B Koliwad told them (committee) that I have misled him?" he asked.
The present Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar had ordered a probe into charges of financial misappropriation, following which a five-member team, headed by the Karnataka State Audit and Accounts Department Additional Director submitted a report earlier this month.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the winter session at Belagavi on December 21, Kumar had said that "We are not happy about huge money that was spent last time, so we tried curtailing on it while not compromising on quality.
Compared to last year, we have been able to reduce the spending by about Rs 8 crore-10 crore this time.... last year according to information that I have, it had gone up to Rs 20 crore-22 crore," he had said.
Prior to the winter session,Murthy was stripped of his administrative and financial powers and a special officer appointed in his place, leaving him with only the session duty.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
