The Jammu and Kashmir administration will be setting up a special task force (STF) to identify government employees who could be a threat to the nation’s security and such people will then be terminated from service.
While the order is a routine one, it has drawn sharp reaction across the Union Territory, with people criticising the administration for focusing on security amid a raging pandemic which has seen J&K clock its highest-ever daily surge.
As per Wednesday night’s order of the general administration department, the task force will be headed by additional director general of police, Criminal Investigation Department, and have four other member, and it will screen the cases of employees suspected of activities requiring action under the proviso (C) of Article 311(2) of the Constitution of India.
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The task force will then “compile records of such employees, when ever necessary and refer it to the committee,” reads the order signed by Manoj Kumar, commissioner secretary to J&K government.
The committee that the STF will refer cases to was set up by the government in 2020. It is headed by J&K chief secretary and administrative secretary, home department, director general of police, administrative secretary, general administration department, additional director general of police, CID and administrative secretary department of law, justice and parliamentary affairs as its members.
{{/usCountry}}The committee that the STF will refer cases to was set up by the government in 2020. It is headed by J&K chief secretary and administrative secretary, home department, director general of police, administrative secretary, general administration department, additional director general of police, CID and administrative secretary department of law, justice and parliamentary affairs as its members.
{{/usCountry}}“The STF headed by ADGP, CID has also been empowered to engage with other members of Terror Monitoring Group(TMG) for identifying such other employees, as necessary,” reads the order.
Lawer and social activist Habeel Iqbal posted on Twitter, “J&K Government constitutes Special Task Force. No. Not to deal with #COVIDEmergency2021 But to hunt down employees who work against the security of State. What priorities !
People’s Democratic Party also posted on Twitter, “Ironic! When dealing with pandemic needs whole of the government approach, it seems to be busy with thought policing, choreographing normalcy junkets and focusing on information blockade.”