Members of the State Employees and Teachers Organisation staging a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Director of Education in Kozhikode on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: S_RAMESHKURUP more-in The District Congress Committee (DCC) has thrown its weight behind N.P. Balakrishnan, former district president of the party-affiliated NGO Association, who has been suspended by the Education Department citing official lapses. While the Congress and allied organisations representing government employees alleged that Mr. Balakrishnan was targeted as he refused to be part of the Salary Challenge initiative of the government for raising flood relief funds, the department has denied it. Addressing a dharna organised by the State Employees and Teachers Organisations outside the office of the Deputy Director of Education here on Wednesday, DCC president T. Siddique said the disciplinary action proved that the government was viewing its employees as “enemies”. Mr. Balakrishnan, a noon meal officer at the office of the Assistant Education Officer, Elathur, was earlier transferred to Vadakara and Thamarassery soon after the Left Democratic Front government came to power. The reasons cited for his suspension were childish, Mr. Siddique said. Sources in the Education Department, however, claimed that the disciplinary action had nothing to do with Salary Challenge. As the noon meal officer, he was found to have ignored the tampering of bills for purchase of food at an upper primary school. The vigilance wing attached to the Directorate of Public Instruction recommended action against him on August 31. The suspension order was issued earlier this week. A charge memo would be issued within three months, followed by an inquiry, they added.

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