Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Friday said the state may bar teachers of Himachal Pradesh University here from taking part in active politics and contesting elections."If any teacher is interested to join politics, he should resign from the university first and then contest the elections. He would not be allowed to join back the university after he takes part in the polls," he told reporters here.He said the state government was taking this step in the interest of academic environs on the campus, which suffers in the event of teachers indulging in politics.
As per the existing provisions, the teachers are free to take part in political activities and they can even contest elections on party tickets by taking leave from the university. Many of them have been contesting elections in the past and later joining back teaching after facing the defeat.On the issue of in-principle approval to the railway line to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir via Himachal Pradesh, the chief minister said the state had almost entered into an agreement with the railways on the project last year.On restarting online lottery to boost up the revenue, he replied: "We are planning".