Roll back “arbitrary dismissal orders” of employees under new law: J&K leaders

Such measures will alienate people who are already reeling under pandemic: NC

Mehbooba Mufti. File.

The Hurriyat, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the National Conference (NC) on Tuesday criticised the termination orders of three government employees by the J&K Lieutenant Governor under the newly introduced Article 311 this month.

“It’s most inhuman and cruel to render people jobless in such a manner, by invoking a draconian law. The government should revoke these orders and stop harassing and intimidating the employees,” a spokesman of the Mirwaiz said.

He said people of J&K were dealing with the deadly virus and daily fatalities. “Instead of mitigating people’s sufferings caused by the pandemic, the government is pursuing such ruthless dismissals. We appeal to rights organisations and legal experts to take notice of these measures and provide assistance in safeguarding and securing the employees’ rights.”

The National Conference warned that such measures will alienate people. “We are living through the worst-ever public health catastrophe. The government is rather focussing on terminating the employees without providing them any legal recourse to protect their rights. Such a Special Task Force (STF) is unheard of in an emancipated world and should be rolled back,” NC leader and ex-Minister Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan said.

The employees — an assistant professor, a naib tehsildar and a teacher, were terminated under the newly introduced STF to monitor the activities of the staff . The police records suggested that they were allegedly involved in anti-India activities.

Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also criticised the move. “In the middle of a pandemic, the Centre should focus on saving lives instead of firing government employees on flimsy grounds in Kashmir. No wonder its misplaced priorities have converted India into ‘shamshan ghats’ and ‘kabristans’. The living continue to suffer and the dead are deprived of dignity,” Ms. Mufti said.

Other political parties, including the CPI(M), the J&K Apni Party and the Peoples Conference, also opposed the termination orders.