Shah Faesal attributed his decision to the “unabated killings in Kashmir”, the central government’s “lack of sincere” efforts to reach out to the Kashmiris and the “marginalisation of the Indian Muslims”. Shah Faesal attributed his decision to the “unabated killings in Kashmir”, the central government’s “lack of sincere” efforts to reach out to the Kashmiris and the “marginalisation of the Indian Muslims”.

A day after Kashmir IAS officer Shah Faesal submitted his resignation, Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram Thursday took a jibe at the Modi government, saying the world will take note of “his (Faesal’s) cry of anguish and defiance”. ‘Saluting’ Faesal for his step, the former finance minister called it an “indictment of the BJP government.”

Chidambaram also cited the example of Julio Ribeiro, a former DGP of Punjab and a former commissioner of Mumbai Police, who had said the “same thing” as Faesal. In an article published in The Indian Express in 2015, the retired cop had written that as a Christian he “felt threatened, not wanted, reduced to a stranger in his own country.”

“Such statements from our fellow citizens must make us hang our heads in regret and shame,” Chidambaram wrote on Twitter.

Not long ago Mr Rebeiro, the legendary police officer, said the same thing, but there was not a word of reassurance from the Rulers. Such statements from our fellow citizens must make us hang our heads in regret and shame. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) January 10, 2019

Shah Faesal, on Wednesday, resigned from civil services. He attributed his decision to the “unabated killings in Kashmir”, the Centre’s refusal to initiate a political process in the state and “marginalisation of the Indian Muslims”.

Faesal, the first Kashmiri IAS topper, also suggested that he might make his political plunge soon. “Yes, I might join politics,” he said, without mentioning the party he may join. Sources, however, suggest that he will likely join the National Conference.

Minutes after news of his resignation became public, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Faesal’s decision. “The bureaucracy’s loss is politics’ gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal,” he tweeted. In a second tweet, Omar clarified he did not indicate that Faesal would be joining his party. “Actually I welcomed him to (the) folds of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce,” he said.

A senior official in J&K’s General Administration Department (GAD) has confirmed that Faesal has served his mandatory three-month notice period to the government.

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