Shah Faesal says he will not accept any foreign funding and will make all donations public

Shah Faesal, the IAS topper who quit the civil services earlier this month and now intends to launch a political group to fight elections, says his appeal for crowdfunding in Jammu and Kashmir has received an overwhelming response. He, however, adds he will not accept any foreign funding and will make all donations public.

The 2010 Indian Administrative Services topper says the response shows the sentiment of people as hundreds have already deposited donations in his account. The donations start from Rs 2 to Rs 50,000.

"Somebody donated their earrings and deposited money in my account. That kind of a sentiment is fascinating," he said.

Shah Faesal, 35, says he never expected such a response as "donating earrings for electoral politics in Kashmir is something I have not heard in recent times."

Speaking to NDTV, Shah Faesal said the idea behind crowdfunding is to seek involvement of youngsters with the politics he is seeking to create. The celebrated former IAS officer said that crowdfunding and series of meetings with the youth across regions has also given him an idea that his politics is not just about contesting parliament elections.

"Initially the thought was I will be just fighting parliament elections but it's generating into a sort of public movement. The response to crowdfunding is phenomenal," he said.

He said such a support is coming in a place where electoral politics is seen as pariah. "Youngsters tremendously support me. Although there is section of youth who still don't buy my argument, there is a lot of pushback from that section."

Shah Faesal resigned from the IAS on January 9 saying Muslims had been reduced to second-class citizens. He also declared his readiness to contest the national election due by May but asserted he would not join any political party "as of now".