Participating in Protests, Social Media Posts Can Now Cost You Govt Job, Passport in Bihar, Uttarakhand
The police in Bihar have issued an order saying those participating in violent protests and demonstrations will find it difficult to get government jobs or passports.
The order said that they would also not be given loans of grants from the government.
The Indian Express reported that participation in protests would affect police verification for nine services. They include passport, character certificate, contractual jobs in government, work contracts in government departments, boards and commissions, licences for petrol pump and gas agency, passports, government grant, bank loans.
According to the directive said that the “criminal act” of participating in a “law and order situation” would result in mention of it in their character certificate.
India Today quoted the directive as saying, “If a person is involved in any criminal act by engaging in any law and order situation, protests, road jams etc. and is charged by the police for this, then specific mention of this will be made in the character verification report by the police. Such people have to be prepared for serious consequences because they will not be able to get a government job or apply for a state-owned liquor store.”
The Bihar order comes close on the heels of Uttarakhand saying that even people’s social media posts can have an impact on police verification for passports.
Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar had said that the police will maintain a record of social media posts that they think are
“anti-national” or “anti-social”.
Kumar said that earlier the police would counsel people for their posts. Hindustan Times quoted Kumar as saying, “From now onwards, the police would scrutinise the accused person’s social media behaviour to check if he is habitual of putting such anti-national posts. If it is found, then the police would not clear his police verification, needed while applying for passport or arms license.”
According to the report the decision was taken after the police said that there was an increase in the number of people posting ‘anti national’ posts on social media.
