 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 29: A day after the employees at Directorate of Information and Public Relations went on a strike against Director Information, Rahul Pandey for "halting their salary", the government has given a "clean chit" to the protesting employees raising eyebrows over the conduct of the official.
On September 28, the employees were left to with options but to protest Director Information's "unwarranted decision" in Srinagar. And, what subsequently came to light within 24-hours hints that the decision to hold the salary had no genuine reason raising questions over the Director's "style of working."
Official documents reveal that the government has withdrawn the orders to halt the salary of the employees.
The orders have vindicated the stand of the protesting employees saying that they had been present on the duty much against the allegations as leveled by the Director.
"Based on the report received from Joint Director Information, Kashmir it has been certified that all employees were present on duty in connection with the visit of various dignitaries to the UT of J&K. Therefore, Order No. INF/101 of 2021 dated 28.09.2021 issu Arbitrary order to withhold salaries withdrawn
Officials said the million dollar question now is that if the employees were present on duty, why was their salary put on hold.
"A department is not a fiefdom for any official that he can take arbitrary decisions which amount to human rights violations. If the employees were on duty how could their salary be stopped by him (the Director). This is a classical case of dictatorship," quipped a group of senior officials on the condition of anonymity.
"Now when the government order as confirmed about the innocence of the employees the question is what action shall Raj Bhawan take against the erring official," the officials said.
They said that by issuing an order to withhold the salaries of employees, the Director subjected family members of the fifty two employees to "mental harassment."
Despite repeated attempts Director Information, Rahul Pandey was not available for comments. | 