Srinagar: Two Srinagar residents working for two leading pharmaceutical companies have been suspended “with immediate effect” for posting “anti-national” comments on Facebook over the killing of CRPF troops in a suicide attack on Thursday.
The comments of one of them have been described by his employer as “serious and gross act of misconduct”.
Besides being “suspended with immediate effect”, Riyaz Ahmad Wani, a resident of Rathpora in Srinagar’s Eidgah area, was on Friday served a show-cause notice by the Mumbai-based pharma company ‘Macleods’ through its Operation and Sales Administration president for Wani’s “anti national message”.
The company has told Wani that after Thursday’s suicide attack, he had allegedly commented “athh wanaaan surgical strike” which translates into English as “This is called surgical strike” on Facebook.
The company said it had started receiving “furious comments/ reactions, which are not only defaming our organization, but tarnishing image and questioning us as to why such anti-national element exists in our organization (sic)”.
“In view of the above, you are hereby asked to show cause in writing within seven days from the receipt hereof, as to why your services should not be terminated with immediate effect for your above anti-national attitude,” reads the letter.
“If we do not receive any written, proper and satisfactory explanation from you within the above stipulated period, we shall presume that you have no explanation to offer and we shall terminate your services immediately,” added the letter.
“Since the above act of yours is grave and serious in nature, you are hereby suspended with immediate effect pending further action in the matter,” it said.
Iqbal Hussain from Zaildar Mohalla, Ranger Stop in Srinagar’s Saida Kadal who works as Marketing Executive in the Respicare Division of Ahmedabad-based Zydus Healthcare in the city, has also been suspended by the company for posting an “anti national” comment on Wani’s post.
“…On Facebook, anti-national message was posted by one Riyaz Ahmad Wani, thereby commenting “Athh wanaaan surgical strike”. While commenting on the said comment, you have posted your comment as “This is called as real surgical strike”.
“Because of your aforesaid anti-national comments on social network, the company’s name and image got tarnished and management has also started receiving furious reactions and questioning why such anti-national elements exist in the company,” reads the letter sent to Hussain by Zydus on Friday.
Calling Hussain’s comments “serious and gross act of misconduct” the company has asked him to “explain in writing with proper supportive evidence as to why management should continue you in the employment”.
The company has told Hussain it shall “terminate your services immediately” “if no explanation is received within period of 48 hours from receipt of this letter”.
Hussain has also been suspended “with immediate effect”.
