J-K Administration Restricts Strikes, Demonstrations By Govt Employees; Congress Terms Order Autocratic

The state administration of Jammu and Kashmir issued an order on Friday, prohibiting government officers and employees from going on strike or participating in any kind of demonstration in relation to their service or any other matter. The order cites Rule 20 (ii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1971, which states that any employee who violates this rule will face strict disciplinary action, which may include termination of service.

The order was issued by Additional Secretary in the General Administrative Department Rohit Sharma, warning that some employees are planning to strike and demonstrate in support of their specific demands and urges them to refrain from such activities, as they constitute serious indiscipline and misconduct. 

The order also requests all Administrative Secretaries to direct the employees in their respective departments to abide by the rules and maintain the normal functioning of the government. The order has drawn criticism from various political and employee groups, who have termed it as a violation of democratic rights and a sign of dictatorship. 

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said that the government has already banned government officials and employees from criticising government policies and decisions on the internet and now they are also being deprived of the right to strike and demonstrate in support of their demands. He said that there is no democracy in Jammu and Kashmir, but dictatorship.

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State Congress senior vice president and spokesperson Ravindra Sharma said that the government has failed to fulfil the promises made to government employees and resolve their issues and that many employees are not getting their salaries. 

He said that the government is afraid that if the government employees go on strike, the balloon that it has inflated regarding the normalcy of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, development and prosperity here, will deflate. He said that by issuing this “autocratic’’ order, the government itself has admitted that it has failed in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Suresh Sharma of the Government Employees Joint Forum said that this order of the government does not make any difference and that it is the job of the government to issue orders. He said that government employees or officers have no conflict with the government and that they take to the streets only when their interests are ignored.