Tejasvi Surya offers to defend suspended PDO over RSS event participation

Bengaluru: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, a lawyer by training, said he had offered to “personally appear” on behalf of Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) Praveen Kumar K P to challenge his “illegal and unlawful” suspension for attending an RSS event. 

Tejasvi reached out to Kumar and his family assuring support, a day after the PDO was fired for attending an RSS procession on October 12, a Sunday. 

“​​I have spoken to the officer suspended by the government for taking part in RSS Pathsanchalan. Assured him that I will personally appear before the concerned tribunal and courts to challenge this illegal and unlawful suspension,” Surya, the BJP Yuva Morcha national president, said. 

“There are multiple judgments from across High Courts which have upheld government servants’ right to participate in RSS programmes. I have no doubt that this unlawful suspension will be quashed,” Surya said.

“If the Siddaramaiah government wants a legal battle, we will give it one”. On Friday, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge’s department issued an order suspending Kumar for his “conduct unbecoming of a government servant” after he attended the RSS’ centenary celebration. 

Free legal support: Yatnal

Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal also announced providing “full legal support” to government employees who face action by the Congress government.

“I am offering free legal support to RSS karyakartas whose voices are being suppressed or stifled by the Congress government,” Yatnal, the Bijapur city MLA, said.