The row over Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Akhilesh Pratap Singh of Sitapur has reached Lucknow, for which the government suspended him. The commotion had started after an audio tape went viral, purportedly saying that Singh implored a woman teacher named Avantika Gupta, who is reported to be close to him, repeatedly marking her attendance present even if she remained absent from school.
What was the matter?
According to the media reports, at a school in Sitapur, the principal, Brijendra Kumar Verma, was instructed again and again by Singh to follow this directive. Verma denied, stating that such an act would be unlawful as per service rules as well as against the education system. Upon denial, Singh began harassing the principal.
Things took a worse turn when Verma had enough of the pressure and lost his temper, allegedly attacking the BSA with a belt in his office. The appalling scene that was recorded on tape footage involved Verma throwing papers, ripping up documents, and physically attacking Singh before the staff stepped in, and it went viral on social media. Police also arrested Verma later and took him to jail.
About the viral audio tape
What followed turned the spotlight on the BSA himself. The viral audio recording confirmed that Singh had indeed pressured the principal to conceal the female teacher’s absenteeism. The disclosures sparked outrage within the education department, raising concerns over misconduct at the highest district level.
As per the media reports, the proceedings of the suspension against Singh are almost complete. A departmental inquiry has been set up, and senior officials are closely monitoring progress. The episode has rattled public confidence in the school establishment.
Although the government never fails to emphasise openness and accountability at school, its highest education officer's actions appeared to be incompatible with such commitments. The coming days will decide just how vigorously the government responds, and whether reform is undertaken to prevent any such episode from recurring.
Avantika Gupta also suspended
Avantika Gupta has also been suspended in this matter. Authorities confirmed that the step was taken on the instructions of senior officials after Gupta failed to appear on September 23 and explain her prolonged absence from August 21 to September 20.
Her salary had already been withheld prior to the suspension. Students had also claimed on camera that Gupta was irregular, often arriving late and leaving early. The controversy gained further traction after CCTV footage went viral, showing principal Brijendra Verma physically assaulting BSA Akhilesh Singh with a belt.
