Outrage over ‘classist’ remark: Kupwara forest officer tenders apology

A SUSPENSION ORDER BY THE OFFICIAL HAD READ THAT ‘A FOREST GUARD WAS WEARING PHERAN AND LOOKING LIKE A SHEPHERD’

A divisional forest oficer (DFO) apologised on Tuesday after outrage against him for allegedly using “classist” language while suspending a subordinate and objecting to his wearing of Pheran, a loose gown worn by Kashmiris during winter, on duty in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Langate DFO Eijaz Ahmad had issued a suspension order on February 17 against forest guard Bashir Ahmad Dobhi for wearing Pheran on duty.

“During surprise inspection of the Langate forest check post on February 17 at 12.25pm, a forest official namely Bashir Ahmad Dobhi, forest guard was found wearing with pheran and looking like a shepherd. The territorial forest officials are part of a disciplined force and are always duty bound to wear proper dress code while performing their duties at sensitive postings. Therefore, pending departmental enquiry Bashir Ahmad Dobhi is hereby placed under suspension...,” the order signed by Ahmad had said.

The order became viral on social media, triggering harsh reactions from Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and Communist Party of India (CPI-Marxist) leader MY Tarigami.

“Langate’s divisional forest officer has suspended Bashir Ahmed -a forest guard for wearing a pheran. The subsequent order smacks of prejudice towards our traditions by deriding him for ‘looking like a shepherd’. Are shepherds sub human? Insensitive & arrogant. Hope local admin takes action immediately,” Mufti wrote on “X”, tagging lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha.

Tarigami charged the official of having a classist bias. “Suspending an employee for donning a pheran is deeply disrespectful and undermines one’s cultural identity. In bitterly cold weather, wearing a pheran becomes a vital necessity. Additionally, equating the attire with a shepherd’s is disrespectful & reflects classist bias,” he said on “X”. After the outrage, Ahmad issued a corrigendum on Tuesday saying the word “shepherd inadvertently crept in and was expunged from the records.”

He apologised on camera. “The order was issued in the interest of the administration to enforce discipline. He was warned two times and third time he was found in very shabby manner. Inadvertently, some words went into the order which were expunged. I hold pheran very close to my heart. I am apologising to people for using some words. I belong to other backward class and have respect for all strata of people,” he said.