Karnataka govt allows staffer to practise astrology; activists up in arms
Civil rights groups ask why Siddaramaiah, who pushed Anti-Superstition Act earlier, is allowing such acts now
The Siddaramaiah government may have actively championed the Anti-Superstition Bill in Karnataka in the past but that hasn't stopped his current dispensation from giving a government official permission to practise astrology privately, after office hours. Civil rights activists are up in arms against the move.
Nagesh S Dongre, a development officer at the Bhadra Command Area Development Authority in Shivamogga district, has obtained permission from the state Cooperation Department to practise astrology privately. According to informed sources, the green signal was given on September 27 after Nagesh submitted a request to the government. Minister KN Rajanna has also reportedly approved it.
The sources said the official was told that his passion for astrology should be confined to beyond office hours and any honorarium he earns must be mentioned in his asset and liability details.
Critics flay government
But the move has not gone down well with a section of civil rights activists, who feel that a government whose leader earlier railed against superstition should not have given its approval for the practice.
"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was the reason for bringing out the Anti-Superstition Act in Karnataka in 2013-18, is allowing such acts in his present government. This must be objected to,” said H Nataraj, who campaigns against astrologers for 'misguiding people'.
Professor BP Mahesh Chandra, who fights against superstition, called the government decision 'a miracle'. “It is unimportant whether he works after office hours or not. It is objectionable and the government must withdraw its order,” he told The Federal. “A responsible minister or government cannot allow this.”
A retired Karnataka official who doesn't want to be named said the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules do not permit such practices. “In this case, the person may earn more money than his government salary and he may not show the earnings. This amounts to black money and this cannot be permitted,” he said.
Government rules
He said earlier officials were even acting in movies with permission but this was later stopped as it disturbed their office work. “This has to apply to astrology also,” he argued.
Government rules say that no employee shall engage directly or indirectly in any trade or business or negotiate any other employment without prior sanction from the prescribed authority. Honorary work of social or charitable nature or occasional work of literary, artistic or scientific nature may be undertaken subject to conditions, the official pointed out.
Another activist, Ramanna K, said that this instance held a mirror to the mentality of ministers who allow officials to engage in fortune telling. “This must be condemned,” he added.