J&K Police gags its personnel: Don’t criticise on social media

While quoting instances of police officers using Facebook to criticise the police’s functioning, the circular says that monitoring of social networking sites has indicated the “habit of policemen” engaging in comments which “are not in tune” with government norms and are “often critical” of government stands.

The circular quotes a “recent instance” when two officials of the CID headquarters “posted objectionable comments” on the functioning of the Police Headquarters and said this has the potential to cause “misgivings and dissatisfaction”. “A lot of such posts were noticed during Kousar Nag episode (yatra controversy) also,” it said.

The circular has drawn the attention of the personnel towards the J&K Government Employees (conduct) Rules, 1971. “It envisages that no government employee shall by any utterance, writing or otherwise discuss or criticise in public or in any meeting of any association or body any policy pursued or action taken by the government, nor shall he in any manner participate in any such discussion or criticism,” the circular reads.

The circular further asks police personnel not to “record comments” on remarks made by a superior officer. “If a police officer considers that an erroneous view has been taken of his conduct… or that he has been unfairly treated… he may represent his grievance to the officer who has expressed such view,” the circular says. “If not satisfied with the result of his representation, he may submit a petition to the next higher authority through the proper channel”.

The circular has asked officers to take “appropriate measures” against personnel found to be disregarding the direction “so that such tendencies are curtailed”.