Bengaluru: The BJP has assured legal assistance to Praveen Kumar K P, the Taluk Panchayat Development Officer of Sirwar in Karnataka, who was suspended for participating in a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) rally.
BJP MP and Yuva Morcha president Tejasvi Surya claims to have met Kumar after the suspension and offered to fight his case before the appropriate tribunal.
Kumar, who also served as the personal assistant to Lingasugur MLA Manappa Vajjal, was seen wearing the RSS uniform and marching in a route procession while holding a stick on October 12. The act has been deemed a violation of conduct norms applicable to government employees.
Following an inquiry conducted by the Raichur Zilla Panchayat CEO, the Commissioner of the Panchayat Raj Department, Arundhati Chandrashekar, issued a suspension order against the officer.
The suspension order cites violation of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, and places him under suspension with immediate effect. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Kumar.
“I have spoken to the officer suspended by the State Government for for taking part in RSS Pathsanchalan. Assured him that I will personally appear before the concerned tribunal and courts to challenge this illegal and unlawful suspension,” Surya posted on X.
“There are multiple judgements from across high courts which have upheld government servants’ right to participate in RSS programmes. I have no doubt that this unlawful suspension will be quashed,” he claimed.
“If the Siddaramaiah government wants a legal battle, we will give it one,” Surya added.