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New Indian Express

TN school teacher denied increment for three years for ‘expressing views' on social media

CHENNAI: Makkal Kalvi Kootiyakkam, on Thursday, condemned the alleged denial of increment for a three-year period to government school teacher Uma Maheswari who was suspended in March last year for expressing her views on social media and in the press. The suspension was revoked within a few days following backlash from activists. According to the organisation, Uma Maheswari was suspended in March 2024 after education officers from Chengalpattu conducted an inquiry. During the inquiry, she was allegedly forced to delete her social media posts and was questioned on why she was writing on social media and in newspapers. The suspension order issued by the Chengalpattu chief educational officer stated she had violated the Tamil Nadu Government Servants' Conduct Rules, 1973. Though the suspension was revoked in a few days, the school education department had issued her a charge memo stating disciplinary action would be taken against her. In a letter dated June 23 this year, the department informed her she was being penalised with an increment cut for three years. The organisation said the punitive action initiated against her violated her right to free speech. The statement was endorsed by several eminent personalities, including retired judge of the Madras HC Justice D Hariparanthaman and former V-C Jawahar Nesan. 'The punishment has been issued citing her article titled 'Changes Needed in the Morning Breakfast Scheme'. In the piece, she not only praised the CM for launching the scheme but also highlighted the need to expand it to government-aided schools, a widely shared demand,' said P Sivakumar, coordinator of Makkal Kalvi Kootiyakkam.