Doc sacked for defying social media gag order

SRO 525 STRIKES!

JAMMU : The ghost of controversial SRO-525 concerning the ban on social media usage by government employees came haunting a doctor, as the state government terminated his services for an ‘anti-government’ post on Facebook!

The doctor, Amit Kumar, posted as registrar in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu on a contract basis for three years was sacked on Thursday for defying the government order by posting anti-government content through his Facebook account, a government official said.

The government had in December last year, through SRO-525, barred its employees from using their social media accounts for any "political activity" by amending the conduct rules for them, drawing strong condemnation from different quarters and opposition parties.

According to the statutory regulatory order (SRO), no government employee shall engage in any criminal, dishonest, immoral or notoriously disgraceful conduct on social media which may be prejudicial to the state.

The news was confirmed by the Principal of the hospital where the doctor worked as the registrar in the department of Anesthesia.

“Yes, the registrar has been dismissed for defying the government order. The action was initiated as per rules, Principal, GMC Jammu, Sunanda Raina said.

The News Now tried contacting the doctor but he didn’t reply to repeated text messages.

The gag order, it may be mentioned, had also echoed in the state assembly during the budget session which ended early last month with opposition parties terming the move as draconian and demanding revocation of the order.