Srinagar, 15 February 2025—As the LG administration dismissed three government employees under Article 311 of the Indian Constitution over alleged militancy links, Kashmir’s chief cleric and separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq has strongly condemned the move, calling it an “authoritarian” action aimed at sidelining Kashmiris from government services.
“The termination of three more state employees in such an authoritarian manner is highly condemnable. Do the rulers want to remove all Kashmiris slowly and steadily from government services and render them jobless?” he questioned, urging elected representatives to raise the issue as part of their electoral commitments.
“It is their duty to take this up urgently with the concerned authorities and stop this harassment,” he added.
The cleric also criticized the
reported crackdown on Islamic literature in Kashmir, calling it an absurd attempt to police thought. “Seizing books from bookstores is ridiculous. In an era of unrestricted access to information on virtual platforms, such measures are meaningless,” he said.
The dismissal of government employees under Article 311 allows for termination without a formal inquiry in cases involving security concerns. The recent sackings follow similar actions taken in the past, sparking criticism from political groups.