A Forest Guard has been suspended for “wearing Pheran” while being on duty in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Langate Forest Division suspended the Forest Guard Bashir Ahmad Dobhi for “violating dress code” regulations.
In a suspension order, it is mentioned that Dobhi was found wearing a traditional Kashmiri pheran and “looked like a shepherd” during a surprise inspection at Forest Check-post Langate.
The order issued by the DFO on February 17, 2024, states that Dobhi’s attire did not adhere to the “prescribed dress code” for territorial forest officials.
Pending a departmental inquiry into the matter, Dobhi has been placed under suspension and attached to the Range Office in Rafiabad.
The suspension of Dobhi has sparked controversy, with many seeing the order’s reference to “looking like a shepherd” as an attempt to demean a particular marginalized community.
The decision has also raised questions over the language used in a govt document and is alleged that it is an attempt to degrade and dehumanize a particular community, which is in “violation of civil services ethical code of conduct”.
The netizens are showing a strong resentment against the kind of language used by the officer and have sought ‘action’ against him in order to “uphold” the principle of “equality before the law”.
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