Kota: A teacher in a government school in Rajasthan's Baran district has been suspended after he allegedly disrespected Goddess Saraswati and hurt religious sentiments, said police. The teacher has been identified as Hemlata Bairwa. He was suspended on Friday following an order by Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar. 

"Some people give weightage to themselves so much, their 'chaal' (working style) is not yet gone and they ask what is the contribution of Goddess Saraswati in school, whoever has said so in this area, I suspend him/her," News agency PTI quoted Dilawar as saying. 

However, the official at Baran district education department claimed the suspension order was issued after initial inquiry into hurting and provoking religious sentiments against Bairwa was over. In an initial inquiry into controversy over placement of Goddess Saraswati's picture on stage at Republic Day function in the government primary school at Lakadia in Kishanganj area, the teacher was found responsible for hurting and provoking religious sentiments of local people and on basis of the same, order for her suspension was issued on Friday, Baran district education (elementary) officer Piyush Kumar Sharma told PTI on Saturday morning.

Sharma added the teacher was also ordered to register her attendance at directorate, elementary education, Bikaner, during this period. The teacher could have averted the controversy and allowed the Republic Day function to go on smoothly, simply by agreeing with the locals and placing Goddess Saraswati's picture, but instead she hurt the sentiments and provoked the locals, the officer said. A dispute had erupted between the primary teacher and other villagers during the Republic Day function in the school on January 26 this year.

Bairwa refused to put the picture of Goddess Saraswati on stage at the function along with the pictures of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar while the local villagers insisted on placing the picture of Goddess Saraswati on the stage.

The teacher further provoked the locals saying Goddess Saraswati contributed nothing for school and education. Earlier on Thursday, two other government teachers were suspended and an inquiry was initiated against third female teacher, all from government senior secondary school Khajuri in Sangod area of Kota district for their alleged involvement in Love Jihad, Islamic Jihad and ties with banned Islamic outfits. 

(With PTI inputs)