Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
SRINAGAR—Jammu and Kashmir government has sacked nine employees including two cops for being allegedly involved in “anti-national” activities.
The termination comes just days after Jammu and Kashmir government decided to carry out police verification of its employees to purge the “anti-national sentiments” in the administration.
Those sacked include two constables, two teachers, a forest department officer, and an employee in the Roads and Bridges department. The government invoked Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution to sack the employees
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.”
In July, a political storm had hit Jammu and Kashmir after the government sacked 11 employees including two sons of Hizbul Mujahadeen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin.
Out of the 11 employees dismissed from service, four were from Anantnag, three from Budgam, one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama, and Kupwara. Of these, four were working in the education department, two in police, and one each in agriculture, skill development, power, SKIMS, and health department.
Earlier on May 3, Jammu and Kashmir government invoked Article 311 of the Constitution and sacked three government employees including an assistant professor, a school teacher, and a naib-tehsildar/
The fresh order comes days after Jammu and Kashmir government issued a circular making it mandatory for employees to maintain absolute integrity, honesty, and allegiance to the Union of India and its Constitution and do nothing which is unbecoming of a Government servant.
An order issued by General Administration Department (GAD) said during periodic verification of character and antecedents of government employees, the officials should report the involvement of an employee in any act of sabotage, espionage, treason, terrorism, subversion, sedition/secession, facilitating foreign interference, incitement to violence or any other unconstitutional act.
What raised eyebrows was the clause about the involvement of an individual’s immediate family, persons sharing residential space with the employee.
“Involvement of an individual’s immediate family, the person sharing residential space with the employee to whom he or she may be bound by affection, influence, or obligation or involved in any of the acts, directly or indirectly,” said the order.
