Belagavi: The suspension of Veeranna Madiwalar, headmaster of a Government Lower Primary School in a village in Belagavi, has triggered widespread criticism. His silent protest demanding improved infrastructure and basic facilities for his students led to disciplinary action from the Department of School Education and Literacy.
Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra condemned the move, labelling the suspension as “harsh and unjustified.” He called for Madiwalar’s immediate reinstatement, stating that the protest was a last resort after the headmaster’s repeated appeals for better conditions were ignored.
The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka has also stepped in, writing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, urging them to acknowledge the real issues Madiwalar had raised. “The government must stand with educators who speak up for students’ welfare,” the association stressed.
Chandrashekar Nugli, General Secretary of the Karnataka State Primary Teachers’ Association, confirmed that he had discussed the matter with the Deputy Director of School Education in Belagavi and the Block Education Officer. “Madiwalar’s demands were lawful and rooted in student rights. We are demanding his suspension be revoked,” he stated.
This incident isn’t Madiwalar’s first brush with controversy. In 2022, a short poem he penned criticizing a government plan to merge schools led to a departmental warning. His persistent advocacy has now reignited debate on how the system treats whistleblowers in education.
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