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Kerala man quits IAS to make 'voice heard' on J&K

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An IAS officer from Kerala , has resigned from service to make his ‘voice heard’ against the suspension of fundamental rights in J&K. 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, Mizoram 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 view that this is not at all acceptable,” he said.

When floods ravaged Kerala in August 2018, Gopinathan had rushed to the state in his personal capacity and took part incognito 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 from volunteering in relief activities had its drawbacks. 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 flood victims”.

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.

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