Bihar DM pulls up headmaster for wearing kurta pajama, orders salary cut

When the DM reached the school, he was not impressed with the headmaster’s dressing style and scolded him for the same

A video of district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Singh of Bihar’s Lakhisarai district reprimanding the headmaster of a government primary school for wearing a kurta pajama in school has gone viral.

The DM got furious seeing the headmaster in dressed in kurta pajama. (ANI)

During a surprise inspection of Balgudar primary school that comes under Sadar block of the district on July 6, the DM got furious seeing the headmaster in kurta pajama, a traditional dress of Bihar.

“You should go to people seeking votes instead of teaching. You resemble a public representative not looking like a teacher”, the DM told the headmaster.

“The DM made a surprise inspection along with the local mukhiya Makhru Singh dressed in a kurta-pajama”, a senior teacher said on condition of anonymity.

“Bureaucrats often forget their limit and treat poor teachers as their slave”, he alleged and added “We can no longer tolerate this indecent act of DM.”

Singh was, however, not ready to listen to the headmaster’s woes.

“Do you know who you are talking to”, the DM asked.

The DM’s attitude towards the headmaster evoked sharp reactions from different quarters of the society while teacher associations have condemned the act.

“But in Bihar there is no dress code for teaching and non teaching staff members and the teacher in traditional attire kurta pajama can’t be the grounds for salary cut or withholding salary” Md Aftab Firoz, Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) Teachers Association president, Araria said adding, “In Bihar most of the schools have no electric fans and under these circumstances gamchha is used by the teachers for wiping their sweat.”

Despite repeated apologies, the DM served a show cause notice to him and asked the district education officer to submit a report within 24 hours.

“You are not fit for the post of headmaster and hence I am going to withhold your salary”, he said.

The Lakhisarai DM had paid a surprise visit to the school after villagers flagged him about the poor infrastructure and lack of power facilities.

Expressing disappointment over the treatment meted out to him, the headmaster Nirbhay Kumar said, “I have been working as a teacher for 30 years and I am fond of wearing kurta pajamas right from the beginning and this is for the first time in my service that I have been treated in such a rude manner.”

Coming out in support of the headmaster, Jan Adhikar party (JAP) chief Pappu Yadav in a tweet to Bihar chief minister has demanded immediate suspension and withholding the salary of the DM.

Lakhisarai DM and district education officer (DEO) could not be contacted despite repeated attempts for their comments.