Bihar: No government jobs for protesters
Authorities say order will curb violent protests and protect government property
Patna: The Bihar government has announced that it will not provide government jobs to people involved in violent anti-government protests.
A directive issued by the state’s top police official said people indulging in violence in the name of protests won’t be eligible for government jobs anymore. “If a person is found involved in criminal acts during protests and road blockades, and is charged by the police later, he must be ready to face serious consequences. Such people will be barred from getting government jobs or state-owned liquor stores in the state,” says a letter issued by the Director General of Police, Bihar.
The letter issued on Monday (February 1, 2021) assumes significance in the light of the continuing farmers’ protests in the country. During one such protest in Delhi on Republic day (January 26), protesters on tractors broke through barriers, fought with police, indulged in violence and also hoisted religious flags from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.
Authorities say such a government order will put a curb on violent protests and protect government properties in future. The move has been strongly criticised by the Opposition which described it as an attempt to crush people’s right to protest in democracy.
“The Bihar government’s order is strange. While it has refused to provide employment to the people, it is also not allowing the masses to protest,” Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav told the media on Wednesday.
The ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) headed by chief minister Kumar defended the government’s order saying there was nothing unusual in the order. “Some people have been creating violence under the guise of protests. It is unfortunate that the opposition is supporting such protests,” JD-U spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said.
Last week the state government announced that it would initiate necessary legal action against the people making critical and offensive comments against the government and its officials on social media. The government said it would treat such comments as “cyber crime” saying there has been a growing trend of making “offensive, indecent and critical” comments online or on social media against the government, ministers, parliamentarians, state lawmakers and government officials.
“Such acts are against the law and come under cyber crime. So, it is imperative that appropriate legal action is taken against the persons/organisations making such comments,” wrote Nayyar Hasnain Khan, additional director general, Economic Offences wing, in his letter to all government departments. The letter has further asked the secretaries of all the government departments to inform them about any such posts they come across so that necessary legal action is taken against them.