Two government school teachers in Karnataka’s Yadgir district have been suspended pending departmental inquiry for participating in RSS Patha Sanchalana (route marches), with the Education Department holding that their participation prima facie violated provisions of the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, as reported in NDTV.
The suspension orders were issued on August 20 by Yadgir Deputy Director of School Education Channabasappa Mudhol against Gururaj Joshi, an assistant teacher at the Government Girls’ High School in Hunasagi, and Anna Saheb Deshmukh, head teacher at the Government Lower Primary School in Kuppi, Surpur taluk.
According to the proceedings, the department considered their participation in RSS route marches to amount to dereliction of duty and a violation of the conduct rules applicable to government employees.
Teacher’s Participation Reported In Newspaper
In Joshi’s case, the proceedings stated that he had participated in an RSS Patha Sanchalana held at Talikoti in Vijayapura district on 12 October 2025.
A photograph purportedly showing Joshi participating in the event was published in Vijaya Karnataka, following which Jumanna Gudimani, district president of Ambedkar Swabhimani Sene, submitted a complaint seeking disciplinary action against him.
The Education Department subsequently issued a show-cause notice to Joshi on 13 March 2026.
In his written explanation, Joshi reportedly argued that the programme was held on a Sunday, outside his working hours, and was a cultural rather than political programme.
The department rejected the explanation.
The suspension order stated: “Your participation in the RSS Patha Sanchalana prima facie amounts to dereliction of duty and violation of Rules 3(1), 3(2), 3(3), 5(1) and 7 of the KCS Rules.”
Joshi was suspended under Rule 10(1) of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1957, pending a departmental inquiry.
During the suspension, he will be entitled to a subsistence allowance under Rule 98 of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules. He has also been directed not to leave his headquarters without written permission from the competent authority.
Second Teacher Also Suspended
In the case of Deshmukh, the department said he participated in an RSS Patha Sanchalana conducted at Hunasagi on October 10, 2025.
A complaint seeking action against him was submitted by Gudimani to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge, who is also the Kalaburagi district in-charge minister.
The Education Department subsequently issued a show-cause notice to Deshmukh.
Like Joshi, Deshmukh maintained in his written response that the RSS programme had taken place outside working hours and was a cultural event rather than a political programme.
The department rejected his explanation and ordered his suspension pending a departmental inquiry.
Government Employees And Political Organisations
The proceedings in both cases referred to provisions governing the conduct of government employees.
According to the orders, government servants are prohibited from being members of political parties or organisations involved in politics, associating themselves with such organisations, or participating in agitations connected with them.
The department also stressed the particular responsibility of teachers, stating that they are expected to serve as role models in society.
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