Controversy Erupts as Government Bans Employee Protests, Prompting Response from Kashmir Politicians

The Jammu and Kashmir government’s recent decision to curtail the participation of its more than half a million employees in demonstrations or strikes advocating for their demands has sparked condemnation from opposition parties.

Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti called it a “dictatorial mindset” on Twitter, stating, “LG admin’s blanket ban on peaceful protests by government employees reeks of a dictatorial mindset. Stifling voices of reason in a democracy is unacceptable. Threatening them with dire consequences & disciplinary action is outrageous.”

National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah expressed support for the employees, saying, “I think this is injustice against them. My party stands with them, and we appeal to the government to give them what is their basic right.” He added, “If those who run the government do not work, then how will the government function? I appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to address the employees’ difficulties.”

Peoples Conference (PC) chairperson Sajjad Lone said that the administration has made the J&K as it’s testing laboratory. “The order that employees can’t hold protests for their rights is brazen, which is nowhere applicable in our nation. The administration has made J&K a testing laboratory,” he said.

CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami also condemned the government order. “The order contravenes the ILO conventions to which India is a party. Government employees only stage demonstrations and rallies when their legitimate and just demands are not fulfilled. The directive is yet another assault on the employees’ and workers’ constitutional rights,” he wrote on the microblogging site ‘X’.

CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami also condemned the government order. “The order contravenes the ILO conventions to which India is a party. Government employees only stage demonstrations and rallies when their legitimate and just demands are not fulfilled. The directive is yet another assault on the employees’ and workers’ constitutional rights,” he wrote on the microblogging site ‘X’.

J&K government on Friday amended service rules and barred all government employees from organising or participating in strikes.

The provision (under Rule 20(ii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971) is as under: ‘Demonstrations and strikes. No Government employee shall resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other Government employee.’

“Therefore, all Administrative Secretaries are requested to circulate these instructions to employees in their respective Department(s) to desist from uncalled for demonstrations and strikes: an act of serious indiscipline and misconduct”, the Government order reads.

It called for strict disciplinary action against employee(s) found involved in organising demonstrations and strikes”.

“Controversy Erupts as Government Bans Employee Protests, Prompting Response from Kashmir Politicians

The Jammu and Kashmir government’s recent decision to curtail the participation of its more than half a million employees in demonstrations or strikes advocating for their demands has sparked condemnation from opposition parties.

Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti called it a “dictatorial mindset” on Twitter, stating, “LG admin’s blanket ban on peaceful protests by government employees reeks of a dictatorial mindset. Stifling voices of reason in a democracy is unacceptable. Threatening them with dire consequences & disciplinary action is outrageous.”

National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah expressed support for the employees, saying, “I think this is injustice against them. My party stands with them, and we appeal to the government to give them what is their basic right.” He added, “If those who run the government do not work, then how will the government function? I appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to address the employees’ difficulties.”

Peoples Conference (PC) chairperson Sajjad Lone said that the administration has made the J&K as it’s testing laboratory. “The order that employees can’t hold protests for their rights is brazen, which is nowhere applicable in our nation. The administration has made J&K a testing laboratory,” he said.

CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami also condemned the government order. “The order contravenes the ILO conventions to which India is a party. Government employees only stage demonstrations and rallies when their legitimate and just demands are not fulfilled. The directive is yet another assault on the employees’ and workers’ constitutional rights,” he wrote on the microblogging site ‘X’.

CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami also condemned the government order. “The order contravenes the ILO conventions to which India is a party. Government employees only stage demonstrations and rallies when their legitimate and just demands are not fulfilled. The directive is yet another assault on the employees’ and workers’ constitutional rights,” he wrote on the microblogging site ‘X’.

J&K government on Friday amended service rules and barred all government employees from organising or participating in strikes.

The provision (under Rule 20(ii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971) is as under: ‘Demonstrations and strikes. No Government employee shall resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other Government employee.’

“Therefore, all Administrative Secretaries are requested to circulate these instructions to employees in their respective Department(s) to desist from uncalled for demonstrations and strikes: an act of serious indiscipline and misconduct”, the Government order reads.

It called for strict disciplinary action against employee(s) found involved in organising demonstrations and strikes”.