J&K: Hurriyat chief urges government to rehire workers fired over ‘terror links’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged it on Saturday Government of Jammu and Kashmir to stop firing employees for alleged links to terror, and to reinstate those already terminated.
His statement followed the dismissal of two government employees a day earlier by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for alleged links to terrorism.
Farooq criticized this move in a post on Families have become destitute before the onset of the harsh winters. Punishment and fear are the hallmark of an authoritarian mindset that has ruled us here.”

He also called on the elected government, led by Prime Minister Omar Abdullah, to take action. “The elected government must take immediate action to stop this injustice and reinstate all dismissals in this unjust manner, even without a hearing,” Farooq added.
The dismissed employees were identified as Abdul Rehman Naika, a pharmacist in the health department, and Zahir Abbas, a teacher in the school education department.
Lieutenant Governor Sinha used Article 311 (2)(c) of the Constitution to dismiss the employees after investigations by law enforcement and intelligence agencies “clearly established their terrorist links.”
In recent years, the lieutenant governor has invoked Article 311(2)(c) to dismiss several government officials based on similar allegations.