Siddik Neeraje - Deccan Herald

Mangalore, Jul 15: Compare the following biodatas: Name- Shettappa Poojar, Caste- Hindu Madara (SC), Native place- Belagali in Mudhola taluk of Bijapur district, Job- Teacher in a government primary school, Experience- 17 years. (This is applicable only till May 8, 2006).

Now: the same Poojar is a paralytic; job- begging in Uppinangady, Nellyady, Udane areas; residence- below any tree beside the road, any deserted building, or any bus stand.

The person seen in the photograph was a teacher in the Puttige Primary School at Konaje village in Puttur taluk till last year. Rejected by all, presently, he is forced to be a beggar. He alleges that the Education department is the reason for his present condition.

Shettappa Pujar, hailing from Mudhola, joined as a teacher in Puttige Primary School on February 6, 1990. According to the native people of the area, Poojar served well as the only teacher of the school for 13 years till 2003.

However, his presence in the school became irregular thereafter. As the localites put it, he used to consume alcohol while taking the classes. Hence, he faced the wrath of the School Development Committee.

 A complaint was filed against him in the Education department. For sometime, he managed to discipline himself in the backdrop of the warning of the department and the ire of the public, the villagers said.

‘I am deserted’

As Poojar says, he has been deserted by everybody including his family members. “I became a paralytic in 2004, and one of my hands was paralysed.

A leg was also affected. As I had to walk 3 kms on a wretched road to reach the school, I sought a transfer.

My request was rejected. And now I am in this predicament,” he     explains. According to Block Education Officer (BEO) Y Shivaramaiah, the department has given the teacher a lot of opportunities to retain his post, but he himself invited his present crisis.

“He had been unofficially absent to the service for many days. We had sent him 5 letters, but all of them were returned to the BEO office,” he informed.

How he would have got the letters without having a specific address who had been wandering as a begger is a million dollar question!

Whatever may be the circumstances which forced Mr Poojar to be a begger, now he has realised his mistakes.
He may get a new life, if at least the Teachers’ Association comes forward to rehabilitate him, on a humanitarian view, the public say.