J&K sacks teacher; govt. depriving Kashmiris of livelihood, says Mehbooba
Manzoor Ahmed Laway is accused of ‘involvement in anti-national activities’; a government spokesperson says he is named in two incidents of ‘instigating mobs’ in July and October 2016
he Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor’s administration’s move to sack a government teacher for his alleged role during the 2016 street protests drew flak from former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday.
The sacked employee, Manzoor Ahmed Laway, from D.H. Pora of Kulgam district, was a teacher in the education department. Invoking amended Article 311, Mr. Laway was accused of “involvement in antinational activities”.
“The activities of the employee had come to the adverse notice of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, as they found him involved in activities prejudicial to the interests of the State, such as involvement in terror related activities,” a government
Tspokesperson said.
Mr. Laway, according to the spokesperson, was named in two FIRs in Kulgam and “was one of those who along with his associates instigated a mob in July 2016 to cause damage and destruction to government property”.
Mr. Laway, in another incident in October 2016, is accused of leading an unruly mob, which resorted to stone pelting on joint party of police and security forces in which armed gunmen from amongst the mob fired indiscriminately upon the police party.
“Mr. Laway as teacher had the responsibility to guide the students not to indulge in activities directed against the security of the State and when the subject is himself instrumental in fomenting secessionism among the student fraternity, then his role as a teacher does not serve the purpose for which he has been appointed to government service,” the spokesperson said.
However, Ms. Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party, condemned the move. “Yet another employee was dismissed under the guise of being an ‘anti national’. Since 2019 every recruitment stands cancelled owing to scams & massive irregularities. On one hand you deprive our youngsters of their livelihood & on the other you snatch jobs from those employed. It is a collective punishment to dispossess & disempower them,” she said on X.