New Delhi: A Muslim employee in Uttar Pradesh was terminated from his position at the electricity department for waving the Palestinian flag, an act deemed by authorities as “anti-national.”

The worker, Shaqib Khan, had been serving as a contractual employee at the Kailashpur power substation in Saharanpur. His contract was terminated following a directive from electricity department officials who cited his actions during the Eid celebration. Khan had posted a photo on Facebook of himself waving the Palestinian flag.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Superintendent Engineer, Shishir Kumar Chahi, confirmed the dismissal. Chahi stated that the department considered the incident a serious breach after an investigation concluded the act constituted anti-national activity. The department quickly instructed the contracting company to end Khan’s employment and requested immediate confirmation of his dismissal.

The incident is not isolated, as police in Uttar Pradesh and other Indian states, including Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Karnataka, have been actively arresting individuals for pro-Palestine activities. These activities range from waving the Palestinian flag to posting supportive content on social media.