Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 22: National Conference today lashed out at the State Government and the Chief Minister for harbouring a vindictive and punitive agenda against Government employees.
In a statement issued here today, NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani said that the Government spokesperson and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar should introspect and recollect his days as a Government employee who played a very active role in the ‘Rabita Committee’ agitation.
“Naeem Akhtar should appreciate the futility of repressive measures better than anyone else. He was one of the employees who was reinstated from suspension after there was a complete strike by PDD and PHE employees in the State in early 90s. If espousing a political sentiment is an unforgivable and unpardonable sin for a Government employee then Naeem Akhtar would have been terminated from service in his days of leading an agitation against the Government”, Wani maintained.
Asking the State Govt to immediately reinstate the suspended Government employees, Aslam Wani said targeting Government employees for the current unrest was a regressive and counterproductive approach. “Why single out Government employees and punish them for an agitation which encompassed virtually all sections of the society? It is impractical for the Government to think a certain section of the society can be tormented into compliance. This Government has gone from blackmailing employees, to coercing them, to threatening them of stopping their salaries to now finally placing them under suspension and termination”, the NC provincial president said.
Mr Wani said the party stands in solidarity with the Government employees and will continue to seek their restoration and dignified reinstatement. “We stand with the employees and will do whatever is necessary to ensure they get justice and aren’t tormented”, Wani added.
“The policy of indiscriminate arrests, nocturnal raids and bulk PSAs will not help in improving the situation. It will only worsen the situation and add to the anger and anguish on the ground. The Govt should release Hurriyat leaders and facilitate a dialogue between New Delhi and Hurriyat without any further delay,” the NC leader said.
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