Police have booked a professor in Kulgam, accusing him of instigating violence at Government Degree College Kulgam. The professor has been booked despite a clean chit given by the college.
The FIR was registered days after the said assistant professor filed an RTI application in district administration Kulgam seeking information about the recruitment made under Rehbar-e-Khel scheme during the year 2018.
The college professor, Dr. Abdul Bari, complained that he was facing harassment for highlighting social issues on social media and highlighting shortcomings in the government departments.
“Every conscious citizen will speak about betterment of society and expose loopholes in administration,” Prof Bari said.
Earlier, the deputy commissioner Kulgam Shamim Ahmad Wani had written to the degree college principal that the professor was violating the service norms. Following this, the college authorities constituted a disciplinary committee to probe into the matter. The committee gave a clean chit to professor.
“During his stay in college from his date of joining, the said assistant professor has gained popularity among the students on basis of his intelligence, regularity, punctuality and honesty,” reads the report submitted to deputy commissioner Kulgam by the college principal.
The college authorities have stated that the said assistant professor is actively taking part in the college affairs especially in maintaining discipline within the college premises.
“The professor has never been found involved in any activity that would prove detrimental to the college discipline or lead to violation of service norms under CSR of J&K government,” reads the reply submitted by the college.
However, the principal was transferred days after the college committee gave a clean chit to the professor. “I submitted my reply to deputy commissioner on basis of the report submitted by the college disciplinary committee,” said the former principal of GDC Kulgam who was transferred to DGC Ganderbal days after submitting his reply to district administration.
The incumbent principal GDC Kulgam said Prof. Bari is a dedicated teacher using modern technology for teaching students. “He is very cooperative with students as well,” Prof. Abdul Rehman Najar said.
Deputy commissioner Kulgam, Shamim Ahmad Wani, said he didn’t recommend registration of FIR against assistant professor Bari.
“But he is violating CSR by speaking against government functionaries on social media. The government employees are barred from using social media to speak against government functionaries,” DC Kulgam said.
SP Kulgam Harmeet Singh said it must be a “routine case.”
“I have no idea about it.”
President College teachers association (CTA) Prof. Tariq Ashai said every conscious citizen will speak and highlight the loopholes of the government and should not be snatched this right.
“No conscious citizen will remain silent against the malfunctioning of the government. If any government employee has found something wrong he should be allowed to speak about it. That is the beauty of democracy,” Prof Ashai said.
