Jammu and Kashmir clampdown: IAS officer quits ‘system’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An Indian Administration Service officer, hailing from Kerala, has resigned from service to make his ‘voice heard’ against the suspension of fundamental rights in Jammu and Kashmir. The officer, Kannan Gopinathan, had made headlines in the state in August 2018, when he anonymously participated in flood relief activities.
A 2012 AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoran and Union Territories) cadre officer, Gopinathan sent his resignation letter to the Centre on Friday. “The prolonged suspension of fundamental rights in a part of the country, and the lack of responsiveness to it from the rest of the country is affecting me. This is happening in a micro-way everywhere. I would like to express my views that this is not at all acceptable,” Gopinathan said.
The officer, whose resignation has not yet been accepted, said he would have quit the service on the second day of suspension of civil rights and not on the 19th day. Interestingly, he would have been part of a cadre that would include Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcated into two Union territories (UTs).
Centre on August 5, withdrew the special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into two UTs, J&K and Ladakh.
When savage floods ravaged Kerala in August 2018, Gopinathan had rushed to the state in his personal capacity and took part in the relief and rescue operations. His ‘cover’ was blown when the then collector of Ernakulam, K Mohammed Y Safirulla, identified him at a collection centre.
The satisfaction Gopinathan experienced in volunteering in relief activities did not last long. He was served a show-cause notice for “not furnishing a tour report, after he had visited the state, to chalk out a plan as to how the Union territory administration can help the flood victims.”
It was, however, not the first notice Gopinathan had received on frivolous charges. He was asked to explain the reasons for not applying for the Prime Minister’s innovation awards, causing a delay of nine months on a file, etc.
Sources close to Gopinathan said he was targeted frequently since he acted according to his conscience.
Hailing from Eramalloor near Puthuppally in Kottayam, Gopinathan, did his schooling from IHRD school, Puthuppally, and then did his engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi. He is now the secretary, power and non-conventional sources of energy, along with other additional charges, under Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli administration.
Gopinathan said he is yet to plan his future. “I have not thought about what to do after I come out of this system. Right now, the aim is only to leave the system,” he said.