LIC suspends employee for Facebook post on Pulwama attack

The Life Insurance Corporation of India has suspended an employee in West Bengal for claiming on social media that the “killing of innocent Kashmiris” hurts him more than the deaths of soldiers. LIC said it is investigating the matter.

LIC suspended Upper division clerk Krishnendu Sengupta. The company’s senior divisional manager in Asansol described the posts as “anti-national” and “tantamount to criticism of government policy”. Sengupta

The Durgapur-based employee had written on Facebook on February 14: “It may sound harsh, but I admit that killing of CRPF jawans hurts me lesser than killing of innocent Kashmiris by Indian forces.” The LIC employee described those who are advocating war as the “actual anti-nationals”. His statement came after the attack on a Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama killed 40 jawans.

“These people are not satisfied with the blood of our soldiers, they want more of our soldiers to die,” Sengupta had added on Facebook. “These people will not participate in war themselves, rather they would deliver lectures on false patriotism.”

The insurance company condemned the post and said the views were “against the ethos of LIC values and LIC strongly condemns” any anti-national conduct. “The matter is being investigated and appropriate action will be initiated,” the corporation tweeted.