Congress president says showcause notice unbecoming of any government, lauds officer for raising issue.
New Delhi: Barely a week after IAS topper Shah Faesal went public with the Jammu and Kashmir government’s show-cause notice against him, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has thrown his weight behind the young officer arguing that such action is “unbecoming of any government”.
In a letter addressed to Faesal, Gandhi has said, “I feel it is extremely troubling that the government has singled you out for voicing your opinions. It exhibits an insecurity that is unbecoming of any government.”
A departmental inquiry was initiated by the government against the 2010 cadre officer last week for a remark made by him on rampant rapes in south Asia.
“You deserve to be appreciated for identifying and courageously highlighting the issues that plague India,” Gandhi has written in the letter. “We stand by you in letter and spirit,” he has further added.
Highlights freedom of speech
Making a larger point about freedom of speech in the country, the Congress President has said, “Our founders envisioned freedom of expression to be a fundamental right for every citizen. This freedom not only allows a nation to introspect on pressing social problems, but also help us find ways to address them.”
In an interview to ThePrint last week, Faesal too had termed the issue as one concerning freedom of speech. Dismissing the service conduct rules, which prohibit officers from criticising any government policy as “primitive,” Faesal had said, that they do not “gel with the spirit of our times.”
“Public policy is not divine revelation that it can’t be questioned. Government employees can’t be asked to vacate the intellectual space because a primitive rule somewhere says that they should be anonymous and their comments can be viewed as critical of the government of the day,” he had said.
As for Gandhi, it was the second time this week when he highlighted the issue of freedom of speech. Attacking the BJP and RSS earlier this week, the Congress president tweeted, “BJP/RSS believe the freedom of expression must be policed & controlled. I believe this freedom is a fundamental democratic right.”