Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's PDP will stay away from the delimitation process (File)
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday slammed the Jammu and Kashmir administration over the firing of government employees - including a school teacher appointed on compassionate grounds - saying it could not take such action "unless and until you have proof".
Ms Mufti - who yesterday accused the centre of "disempowering people of J&K in garb of pseudo nationalism by trampling (on) the constitution", and said the dismissals were on "flimsy grounds" - also said the government could not "hold a child responsible for the actions of his father".
"I'm not supporting anyone (but) you can't hold a child responsible for actions of his father unless and until you have proof. They've sacked 20-25 this year," she was quoted by news agency ANI.
"I've said this again and again... you can capture a man but not an idea. You've to address the idea, as Vajpayeeji did. Witch-hunting, criminalisation of dissent is taking our nation backwards."
On Saturday the J&K administration sacked 11 employees, including two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, for allegedly passing on information to terrorists and extending support.
A senior government official said Syed Ahmad Shakeel and Shahid Yousuf were dismissed for alleged involvement in terror-funding activities, adding that the NIA had found they were involved in raising, receiving, collecting, and transferring funds for Hizbul terror activities.
They and the other employees were sacked over "security of state" concerns under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution, which says no inquiries need be held.
Among those sacked was Razia Sultana, who was appointed as a government school teacher in Anantnag district after her father, Mohammad Sultan Bhat, was killed by terrorists in 1996.
Ms Mufti also hit out at the centre over its "onslaught on our economy".
"There is no policy... unemployment and inflation is rising. They used to say Jammu and Kashmir is backward (but) we're ahead on several indices. If their onslaught over economy continues, our situation will become worse than Gujarat as far as poverty is concerned," she said.
The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, whose party will stay away from the delimitation process over allegations it is part of the "process of political disempowerment" of the people of J&K - also criticised the centre over the scrapping of Article 370.
"... after the abrogation it seems the only motive was to loot Jammu and Kashmir. People from outside are being given top positions at Chenab Valley Power Projects... our water and electricity go outside. Our transporters are in trouble. They've to pay toll tax & what not," she said.
With input from ANI