After suspending Uttara Bahuguna, the primary school teacher who created a scene at the Janata Darbar programme of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Thursday, the Education Department has set up an inquiry to probe the incident. On the directives of a miffed up CM, the department acted swiftly suspended the primary teacher on Friday. Releasing the suspension order the District Education Officer (DEO), K S Chauhan said that Bahuguna, a teacher at Government primary school Jyesthwadi, Naugaon, Uttarkashi attended the Janta Darbar programme of CM without permission and there she misbehaved which is a violation of the employee service conduct rules. During the suspension period Bahuguna would remain attached to Block Education Officer (BEO) Naugaon.
The education secretary Bhupender Kaur Aulakh came up with the Government version on the matter which became viral on social media platforms and found space in national media, on Friday afternoon when she addressed a hurriedly convened press conference. She said that an investigation has been initiated in the Uttara Bahuguna case and in it she will be given the opportunity to present her side. Aulakh said that Bahuguna is absent from the school from August 19, 2017 without any permission. Adding further, she informed that the teacher also remained absent from her duty from August, 05, 2015 till April 10, 2017. Continuing her denunciation of the teacher, the Secretary said that she got suspended on November 20, 2008 and July 27, 2011 for not discharging her responsibilities properly.
The secretary said that even after the scene she created at the CM residence, the CM has forwarded Bahuguna’s application to her with a direction that appropriate action should be taken on her request. On question about teachers with connection getting transferred in schools of their choice defying all norms, Aulakh said that recently 500 such teachers have been sent back to their cadre and five teachers who were attached against the norms at SCERT have also been asked to go back to their original place of posting. She asserted that the transfers in the department would be done strictly as per the transfers act- 2017.
Uttara Bahuguna threatens to approach court
Reacting strongly on her suspension orders, Uttara Bahuguna has threatened to move to the court to what she termed as unjustified action of the Government. Defending her action of creating high drama during the CM Darbar, she said that she didn’t intended to insult the CM but got agitated when the CM rebuked her. On the charge that she violated service conduct rules by not taking permission to attend the CM’s Janta Darbar, Bahuguna said that after the death of her husband, she has met all officers of education department and even Education Minister but no action on her transfer plea was taken and she was left with no alternative but to present her case before the CM. Refuting the allegation that she is not mentally healthy she said that she is in perfect mental condition and informed that she was an athlete and a mountaineer. Bahuguna accepted that she is not going to the school from last one year but she has not drawn salary for the period. outcome of the probe appear pre-determined: expert
Though the education department has initiated an inquiry on the conduct of Uttara Bahuguna the experts opine that the outcome of the probe appear pre determined. “An low rung officer of the rank of BEO has been appointed as inquiry officer by the department whose secretary is indicting the teacher with her past records of suspension and absence of work before media. It is interesting to note that despite being suspended four times in her career the teacher got promoted to the post of headmistress,’’ said a retired Principal of a school.
