Dismissal of govt staffers ‘Criminal’: Mehbooba Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday questioned the dismissal of 11 government staffers from service on charges of support to terror outfits.

Mufti termed the development as “criminal” and “a punishment to the people of Kashmir”. She said the government continued to disempower locals.

“The Government of India continues disempowering people of Jammu and Kashmir in the garb of pseudo nationalism by trampling upon the Constitution that ought to be upheld. The abrupt dismissal of 11 government employees on flimsy grounds is criminal. All policy decisions vis-a-vis J&K are taken with the sole objective of punishing Kashmiris,” said Mufti.

The statement comes days after her party boycotted the delimitation commission’s meeting in Srinagar, saying the panel did not have the “legal or the constitutional mandate to go ahead with its task”.

The J&K administration on Saturday sacked 11 employees, including two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.

Those dismissed are from the Jammu Kashmir Police, education, agriculture, skill development, power, and health departments, besides the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).

Four of them are from Anantnag, three from Budgam, and one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama, and Kupwara districts.

Earlier, seven employees were dismissed, including DSP Davinder Singh and an assistant professor.

The dismissals were made under Article 311 of the Constitution that provides for an inquiry before dismissal but makes an exception in cases where the President or the Governor, as the case may be, is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold such an inquiry.

Once the President or the Governor is satisfied, their decision “shall be final”, says the provision.

The dismissed employees were involved in raising, receiving, collecting and transferring funds through “hawala” transactions for terror activities of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, officials said.