IAS TOPPER FAESAL RESIGNS, MAY JOIN POLITICS
Shah Faesal, who became the first Kashmiri to top the Union Public Service Commission examination in 2010, and an outspoken Indian Administrative Services Officer (who has been in trouble for his outspokenness) resigned on Wednesday to protest “unabated killings” in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering speculation that he is set to join politics. The speculation was strengthened by a tweet posted by former Jammu and Kashmiri chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah that read: “The bureaucracy’s loss is politics’ gain.
Welcome to the fold.”
SRINAGAR: Shah Faesal, who became the first Kashmiri to top the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination in 2010, and an outspoken Indian Administrative Services Officer (who has been in trouble for his outspokenness) resigned on Wednesday to protest “unabated killings” in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering speculation that he is set to join politics.
The speculation was strengthened by a tweet posted by former Jammu and Kashmiri chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah that read: “The bureaucracy’s loss is politics’ gain. Welcome to the fold.”
Faesal said he would announce his plans in two days. There is speculation that he could join the National Conference and contest the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. Faesal, in a statement on social media, said his decision was to protest against the “unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach-out from the Union Government” to end militancy in the state.
Faesal also said his resignation was in response to “the marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the J&K State and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in name of hyper nationalism.”
Faesal had a successful tenure as deputy commissioner of Bandipora and director of school education in Kashmir. He tried to restructure government education framework by trying to introduce radical changes, annoying powerful union leaders. On Wednesday, he also spoke of what he termed an “environment of siege” in the country. “I wish to remind the regime of the day that subversion of public institutions like RBI, CBI and NIA has the potential to decimate the Constitutional edifice of this Country and it needs to be stopped. I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy.’’ He was referring to the Reserve Bank of India, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency.
Faesal was the recipient of the 2018 Fulbright- Nehru Masters Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School and returned to the Valley a few days ago. He was considered close to senior Peoples Democratic Party leader and former roads and buildings minister, Naeem Akthar.
In August last year, he said repealing Article 35A of the Constitution would end Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with the rest of the country. “I would compare Article 35A to a marriagedeed/nikahnama. You repeal it and the relationship is over. Nothing will remain to be discussed afterwards,” he said in a tweet. “Let’s not confuse the issue. Sovereignty and integrity of India can’t be challenged. Not at all. But the Constitution has kept some special provisions for J&K state. It’s a unique arrangement. It isn’t a threat to India’s integrity at all,” he said, explaining his tweet. Faesal was issued a show cause notice in July 2018 by after a tweet mentioning ‘Rapistan’ while commenting on a story about a woman being raped by her son.