Omar Abdullah Clashes with LG Sinha Over Sacking of Terror-Linked’ Teachers
Former CM questions use of Article 311, calls for judicial process; Mehbooba terms dismissals “targeted”
The dismissal of two government school teachers for alleged links with separatist militants has sparked a political confrontation between Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has demanded that such cases be decided by courts rather than through administrative orders.
The LG’s administration has so far terminated around 80 government employees under Article 311 of the Constitution, which allows dismissal without inquiry in the interest of national security. Officials said the move is part of Sinha’s “zero-tolerance” policy aimed at dismantling the terror ecosystem in the Union Territory.
The latest terminations involved Ghulam Hussain and Majid Iqbal Dar, both accused of working as overground workers (OGWs) for the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit. According to official documents, Hussain, a teacher in Reasi district, was arrested in 2023 for allegedly maintaining contact with LeT handlers and channeling funds for terror activities. Dar, posted in Rajouri district, was accused of radicalising youth and aiding narco-terror operations linked to Pakistan-based handlers.
Officials described both teachers as “embedded operatives” whose presence in the education sector posed a risk to impressionable students.
Defending the government’s action, Sinha recently reiterated that “the war against terrorism is not over yet” and called for continued “kinetic and non-kinetic operations” to root out terror networks.
However, Chief Minister Abdullah countered the move, insisting on judicial oversight. “Termination should be done through courts. Everyone deserves a chance to defend themselves,” he said while speaking to reporters in Kupwara. He noted that some employees had been reinstated after inquiry, arguing that actions based on suspicion could harm innocent people.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the dismissals as part of a “wider agenda to disempower Muslims, especially Kashmiris.” In a statement, she said: “Two more employees have been terminated without a chance to prove their innocence. This reflects a troubling bias where the judge, jury, and executioner are all on one side.”
Since 2020, when the administration formed a Special Task Force to identify employees engaged in anti-national activities, over 80 staffers — including teachers, engineers, and police personnel — have been dismissed. The policy continues to draw criticism from opposition parties and rights groups, who allege it undermines due process and natural justice.
