Anti-national protests: 12 govt employees sacked

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 20

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has dismissed 12 employees for participating in “anti-national” protests and stone-throwing during the 104-day-long unrest, sparked by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

The employees have been dismissed after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) forwarded the dossiers of their anti-national activities to the government, which took a decision to dismiss them on Tuesday.

One of the dismissed employees, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Khan, a patwari (revenue official) in Larm-Ganjipora of south Kashmir’s Anantang district, has been accused by the government of being involved in anti-national activities, including instigating youth to throw stones at security forces.

“It has been reported that Khan has been found actively involved in organising anti-national protests, marches and rallies, and has on several occasions delivered inflammatory speeches in various parts of Shahabad Dooru in Anantnag,” reads the dossier of Khan prepared by the CID.

On Khan’s instigation, the CID said, a mob from various localities of his area had on July 9, a day after Burhan Wani’s killing, attacked a police party with lathis and injured several policemen.

The government dismissed the 11 lower-rung employees after security agencies found them involved in anti-national activities during the unrest.

Officials said that on the directions of the government, the administrative heads of several departments on Tuesday issued dismissal orders to 12 employees for “dereliction of duty and violating Rule 14 and 20 of the J&K Government Employees Conduct Rules 1971”. They said any delay in proceeding against the employees would provide them an opportunity to carry out their anti-national activities.

Separatists have also condemned the government action. “The nation stands with these victims of state vengeance and extends support to them,” said Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

EJAC threatens stir

President, Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), Abdul Qayoom Wani threatened an agitation if the dismissal orders of the sacked employees were not revoked. “All sacked employees are lower-rung employees and we will protect their interests at any cost.”