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Centre reinstates J&K's Shah Faesal as IAS officer: Details here
J&K's Shah Faesal, who quit the IAS in 2019, has been reinstated in the civil service by the Centre.

Centre reinstates J&K's Shah Faesal as IAS officer: Details here

Apr 29, 2022
11:41 pm

What's the story

The Centre reinstated Shah Faesal, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Jammu & Kashmir who resigned to join politics, in the civil service on Thursday, reported The Indian Express. Faesal, the first IAS topper from J&K, quit the bureaucracy in January 2019, citing the alleged increased intolerance in the country. He recently remarked that he is excited to "start all over again."

Context

Why does this story matter?

In 2019, Faesal formed his own party—the Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM). He was among several politicians taken into preventive detention ahead of the Centre's revocation of Article 370 in August 2019. Following six months in preventive detention, Faesal was booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) for allegedly encouraging soft separatism; PSA charges were revoked after four months. He quit JKPM in 2020.

Tweet

My idealism let me down: Faesal

Earlier on Wednesday, Faesal hinted at making a comeback to the Indian Administration Service and said the eight months spent in politics created "so much baggage" for him. "While chasing a chimera, I lost almost everything that I had built over the years. Job. Friends. Reputation. Public goodwill. But I never lost hope. My idealism had let me down," he said in a tweet.

Quote

'Excited to start all over again'

"It is always worth giving ourselves another chance. Setbacks make us stronger. And there is an amazing world beyond the shadows of the past. I turn 39 next month. And I'm really excited to start all over again," Faesal said in another tweet.

Inspiration

Faesal was inspired by former Pakistan PM Imran Khan

While launching the JKPM in March 2019, Faesal cited the then Pakistani PM Imran Khan as an inspiration. "History is witness to the fact that whenever a new idea or a new revolution materializes, it is first dismissed," he said at the time. He had stated his party would bring "new politics" to a region that had seen "betrayals" over the last 70 years.

Praising Centre

Faesal all praises for PM Modi lately

Interestingly, Faesal deleted all social media posts last year and started afresh by sharing information and SOS messages amid the COVID-19 outbreak. He also lauded the Centre for its vaccination drive. Faesal also showered praises on PM Narendra Modi after he met with J&K political leaders in June 2021. "Prime Minister's initiative has raised lot of expectations across Jammu and Kashmir," he had tweeted.

Reaction

Sarcastic congratulatory message from Omar Abdullah

On Friday, former J&K CM and Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader Omar Abdullah congratulated the IAS officer on his return to the government service. He did, however, say that Faesal will now work for the same administration that once imprisoned him. "I wish him well in his new/old responsibilities," Abdullah said about his former People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) partner.

About

Who is Shah Faesal?

Faesal hails from the hamlet of Sogam in the district of Kupwara in North Kashmir. He shot to fame in 2010 when he became the first Kashmiri to top the UPSC Civil Services Examination. He was a qualified doctor before qualifying for the IAS. Later, he was assigned to the J&K cadre and went on to serve the erstwhile state in numerous capacities.