Srinagar, Mar 25: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has termed the recent government order regarding using of social media by employees, intimidating and arbitrary. In a strong worded statement Additional Spokesperson PDP Mohammad Rafique Rather has lashed out at the Government for attacking, and essentially snatching, the basic human rights of employees. Rafique Rather, while expressing strong resentment and condemnation of the order issued by the Government labeled the act as a direct violation of the employees Right to Speech.
In a statement issued to Greater Now reads that “It is already there in CSR that the government employees can’t criticize the policies of the government, however, issuance of this new order is contriving towards a very hostile circumstance which can attain further volatility if the order isn’t backtracked and the role of trade unions isn’t described.” Rafique Rather said.
Terming the employees as the backbone of any government establishment, Rafique Rather advised the administration to refrain from issuing intimidating orders and stressed that persisting with the trend of issuing such threatening orders will only encourage hostility and will also affect the work culture in Jammu and Kashmir. He even expressed concern over the act affecting the employees on very personal levels and said that it can even lead the employees into depressing psychic states.
“Such orders serve as the insignias of difference of interest between the government and the employees, which is not in the best interest of the State. In addition to serving as a gaping hole in the communicative channel between the employees and administration, such orders directly dis-empower the employees and employee unions and will also contribute to a steep rise in corruption as this is a visible suppression of speech.” Rather added.
Expressing strong urgency for the trade unions across the UT to unite and fight against this arbitrary order resembling the abuse of human rights, Rather stated that LG Manoj Sinha should know that this part of the globe has gone through very bad times, and employees in particular, have suffered immensely but despite all the difficulties the employees have continued to serve even through hostile situations and today, instead of encouraging their undying resilience, government seems to be out to muzzle the voice of working class which he called unfortunate and condemnable.
Rather also expressed a critical view regarding the motives behind policy making. He reffered to the government playing a cat and monkey fable with the aspirants and the employees of the UT where he said that the government is cancelling job advertisements, one after the other, letting the job aspirants to hang out in the dry and at the same time laying policies which seem to be aimed at forcing the employees out of their posts. Rather expressed grave concern and slammed the government for the policies being indications of an anti-developmental conspiracy which must be taken note of and fought at once.
