J-K admin to employees: Desist from associating with unlawful associations

The Jammu and Kashmir Governor's administration has directed government employees to desist from associating with "unlawful associations".

The state general administration department issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday, days after the Centre declared the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu & Kashmir (JeI-JK) and the JKLF (Yasin Malik faction) as "unlawful associations" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Employees have no right to associate with such organisations, Governor Satya Pal Malik said Wednesday.

"I stand by this (order). Government employees have no right to associate themselves with forces disrupting the country by undertaking anti-national activities," he said on the sidelines of a function here.

Heads of the departments, managing directors, deputy commissioners, and administrative secretaries have been notified about the circular.

In a notification, the home department said action would be taken against employees found associated with the organisations listed as "unlawful".

Government employees should desist from associating, directly or indirectly, with the unlawful associations in any manner whatsoever, it said.

Those associated, directly or indirectly, are advised to dissociate themselves forthwith, failing which there will be administrative consequence, it added.

Replying to a question, Governor Malik said actions of some political parties have "harmed" Kashmir.

"(They are) still speaking the language which is harmful for Kashmir", he said.

On promise by the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party that they will do away with restrictions on the Jammu-Srinagar highway and bans on some organisations once they come back to power, the Governor said, "I do not know when they will come to power."