The termination of three government employees by the Jammu and Kashmir administration over alleged militant links has sparked sharp reactions from political leaders, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah calling for due process and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticizing the move as arbitrary.
Reacting to the dismissals, Omar Abdullah stressed the importance of giving the accused employees a fair hearing before taking action against them. “As per the law of the land, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If there is evidence against them and they fail to justify themselves when given a chance, then the action is justified,” he told reporters. However, he cautioned that any decision made without allowing them to defend themselves would be unfair.
On the other hand, Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the dismissals, stating that such actions have continued unchecked since 2019, despite the formation of an elected government. She expressed disappointment, saying people had hoped that the new administration would advocate for an end to these practices.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mehbooba wrote, “Arbitrary & summary dismissals of government employees have become a daily occurrence since 2019. What is most surprising & puzzling is that it continues unabated despite an elected government in power that had promised to put an end to such practices.” She further added that citizens had expected relief through proactive intervention by the new government. [KNT]