The Opposition parties in the J&K on Saturday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s move to prohibit its employees from resorting to strike and protest demonstrations.

Amid reports that some unions of government employees were planning to go on strike, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday banned all employees from participating in any kind of demonstrations.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, National Conference (NC), and CPI (M) came down heavily on the administration for issuing such orders. They called the move an “assault on democratic rights” of the people.

Issuing the orders under the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules 1971, the General Administration Department said; “No government employee shall resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other government employee.”

Reacting to the government’s order, former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, wrote on X; “LG admin’s blanket ban on peaceful protests by government employees reeks of a dictatorial mindset. Stifling voices of reason in a democracy is unacceptable. Threatening them with dire consequences & disciplinary action is outrageous”.

CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said; “The order contravenes the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions to which India is a party. Government employees only stage demonstrations and rallies when their legitimate and just demands are not fulfilled. The directive is yet another assault on the employees’ and workers’ constitutional rights.”

Congress senior vice-president and media in-charge Ravinder Sharma said, “The administration, under the Central government, wants to crush every voice of dissent, which is very dangerous, anti-employees and anti-people.”

He said the employees have a fundamental right to protest against the failure of the administration to address their genuine issues. “The Congress fully defends and supports the democratic and fundamental rights of every citizen, including the employees, and demands immediate withdrawal of the order.”

NC’s provincial secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmad said the order makes it clear that nobody was allowed to speak in Jammu and Kashmir.

The J&K administration has invoked Rule 20(ii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971, which states that no government employee shall resort to or in any way abet any form of strike in connection with any matter pertaining to his service or the service of any other government employee.