JK govt sacks doctor for 'defying' its gag order on social media

The Jammu and Kashmir government has terminated the services of a doctor here for "violating" an order that bars its employees from using their social media accounts for any activity which may be "prejudicial" to the state, officials said.

The doctor, Amit Kumar, posted as registrar in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu on a contract basis for three years was sacked on Thursday for defying the government order by posting anti-government content through his Facebook account, a government official said.

The government had in December last year barred its employees from using their social media accounts for any "political activity" by amending the conduct rules for them, drawing strong condemnation from different quarters and opposition parties.

Yes, the registrar has been dismissed for defying the government order. The action was initiated as per rules, Principal,GMC Jammu, Sunanda Raina told PTI.

According to the statutory regulatory order (SRO), no government employee shall engage in any criminal, dishonest, immoral or notoriously disgraceful conduct on social media which may be prejudicial to the state.

The gag order had also echoed in the state assembly during the budget session which ended early last month with opposition parties terming the move as draconian and demanding revocation of the order.