The Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh on Monday suspended a Sanskrit lecturer of Vikram University, Ujjain, on disciplinary grounds days after he predicted a big victory for the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The Higher Education Department of the state government recommended disciplinary action under MP Universities Act, 1973.
The lecturer, Rajeshwar Shastri Musalgaonkar, had made the forecast based on astrology and posted in on Facebook on April 29: “BJP 300 ke paas aur NDA 300 ke paar (BJP near 300 seats and NDA more than 300).”
An Ujjain-based Youth Congress worker filed a written complaint with the district returning officer, arguing that the prediction by a government employee in support of a particular party is violation of the Model Code of Conduct and, therefore, punishable under the MP Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.
The district returning officer recommended suspension and wrote to the divisional commissioner. On May 7, Musalgaonkar was placed under suspension and attached to another department.