Ishfaq-ul-Hassan | India Tomorrow
SRINAGAR—For the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has invoked Article 311 of the Constitution and sacked three government employees including an assistant professor, a school teacher, and a naib-tehsildar for alleged anti-national activities.
Naib-tehsildar Nazir Wani, assistant professor Dr Abdul Bari Naik and teacher Idrees Jan were dismissed from service weeks after the J&K government constituted a Special Task Force (STF) to “scrutinize cases of employees suspected of activities requiring action under Article 311 (2) (c)”.
“Lieutenant Governor is satisfied under sub-clause (c) of the proviso to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India that, in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold an inquiry in the case of Idrees Jan, teacher, Government Middle School, Kralpora, Kupwara,” reads the order issued by Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department (GAD).
The order said LG is satisfied after considering the facts and circumstances of the case on the basis of the information available that the activities (of three employees) are such as to warrant their dismissal from service.
Sources said Dr. Bari was detained under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act when he was posted at Government Degree College, Kulgam. Naib-tehsildar Wani was also detained for alleged anti-national activities, sources said.
Under GAD order, Special Task Force will be headed by Additional Director-General of police (CID) R R Swain. The STF will “compile records of such employees, wherever necessary and to refer it to a committee headed by the chief secretary for necessary action.”
Article 311 was not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir before August 5 2019 when the Centre scrapped Article 370 and downgraded the state into two union territories –Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Article 311 deals with the “dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State.”
“Even as India gasps for breath thanks to GOIs inept handling of COVID, its paranoia about Kashmiris has touched a new low with social media of government employees now being monitored. The vengeance with which J&K’s special status was scrapped doesn’t seem to have an end in sight,” tweeted Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister.
This is not the first time that government employees have been sacked in Jammu and Kashmir. Several employees were dismissed by the J&K government for anti-national activities in 2016.
