Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)-Kargil on Saturday suspended one of its members who was arrested after his “highly objectionable” audio clip mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Army in the wake of the recent face-off between India and China went viral on social media, an official said.
Zakir Hussain, a councillor from Shakar constituency, was placed under suspension with immediate effect, the officials said after an executive council meeting chaired by chairman-cum-chief executive councillor, Feroz Ahmad Khan at Council Secretariat in Kargil, the official said.
Deliberating upon the situation which has evolved in the district in the aftermath of the viral audio conversation of Hussain, he said the Executive Council in one voice condemned the views expressed by him in the strongest possible terms.
“The Executive Council was of the view that it was an act of one individual who is being dealt as per the law of the land,” the official said.
With regard to the councillor being a member of LAHDC-Kargil, the Executive Council discussed the course of action to be initiated in his case by LAHDC-Kargil as per the LAHDC Act.
“Keeping in view the information received from the Kargil District Magistrate, the Executive Council decided that the councillor shall stand suspended from the LAHDC-Kargil with immediate effect. It was further decided that formal orders in this regard shall be issued by the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, LAHDC, Kargil,” the official said.
He said the power to remove a member also came up for discussion during the meeting and it was given out such powers vest with the government under Section 19 of the LAHDC Act, 1997.
Meanwhile, the Executive Council said it was extremely unfortunate that some people on social media are generalising the views expressed by Hussain, thereby, maligning the image of the entire Kargil district.
“The Executive Council reiterated the unflinching loyalty of the people of Kargil towards the nation and also emphasised the fact that the people of Kargil need no certificate from any section of media to prove their patriotism,” the official said.
The Executive Council said the people of Kargil have stood steadfastly with the Army ever since 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999 and have shouldered the responsibility of safeguarding the borders of the country with equal zeal and patriotism and it will continue to do so in future.