IAS officer says restrictions won't help convince people of Kashmir

Daman: Days after resigning, IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who claimed he quit as he wanted to express his views against the "denial of freedom of expression" in Kashmir, on Sunday said people of the Valley have to be convinced on Article 370, but it cannot be done by not allowing them to express their views.

The 32-year-old officer of 2012 batch came into limelight after he hid his identity to join volunteers in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods

Gopinathan, who was Secretary, Power Department, of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, submitted his resignation last Wednesday.

His resignation made no mention of the Kashmir issue.

"I want to exercise my freedom of expression but it is not possible while I am in the service. There are certain rules and regulations in that," he said on Sunday. Gopinathan, who hails from Kottayam District of Kerala, said that to abrogate Article 370 "is the right of an elected government", but in a democracy the people have the right to respond to such decisions.

"After taking the decision on Kashmir, nearly 20 days have passed and even now, the people there are not allowed to react or respond to it and that is not acceptable in a democratic set up. Personally, I could not accept it and continue in the service during such a time," he told PTI. "This is not something I can accept in my country. I know that my acceptance doesn't make any difference. But I wanted to express that this is not correct. We should allow them their Freedom of Expression. If they don't like it we can try to convince them. We don't convince by locking them up and not allowing them to express their views," he said.

He said the people should be allowed freedom of expression. "To abrogate Article 370 is the right of an elected government and to right to decide whether it is right or not is vested in the Supreme Court..." he said.