Two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin — Syed Ahmed Shakeel and Shahid Yusuf — were among 11 J&K government employees whose services were terminated on Saturday for “anti-national activities”, an official source said.
While one son was working as a doctor at the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, the other was working at the Skill Development Department in the Valley.
One policeman, Rasheed Shigan, who was allegedly involved in militant activities, has also been terminated from his service.
The employees were fired under Article 311(2)(c), a law passed earlier this year in J&K under which no inquiry is required to be constituted against the accused.
Four employees from Anantnag, three from Budgam, one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama and Kupwara were among the 11 terminated in the past 24 hours, officials said.
The officials said four employees were working in the Education Department, two in the police, and one each in Agriculture, Skill Development, Power, SKIMS and Health Departments.
The J&K government on April 21 constituted a Special Task Force (STF) to identify and scrutinise the employees and lodge cases against those involved in cases related to posing threat to security or anti-national activities.
The task force was described as ‘arbitrary’ and ‘draconian’ by several parties including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Peoples Conference, the J&K Apni Party and the CPI(M).
Earlier, at least three government employees, including an assistant professor, a naib tehsildar and a teacher, were terminated. The police records suggested that they were allegedly involved in anti-India activities.
Dialogue not coercion is way ahead: Mehbooba
Peoples Democratic Party president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the only way to bring lasting peace in the sub-continent was through the process of dialogue and reconciliation.
“The mechanisms of coercion and oppression are tested methods, failed to bring any change in the vexed Kashmir scenario. Dialogue and reconciliation have proved effective to end alienation among youth and bring considerable change, paving way for economic uplift,” she said.
Ms. Mufti said democracy, being a battle of ideas, derives its strength from dissent.