Srinagar: IAS officer Shah Faesal he has decided to resign from the Indian Administrative Service on Wednesday, to protest the alleged unabated killings in Kashmir and marginalisation of Indian Muslims.

He made the announcement in a Facebook post.

Who is Shah Faesal?
 

  • Faisal was the first Kashmiri to top the Indian Civil Services exam in 2009.
     
  • In 2009, he cracked the UPSC to become an IAS officer and was allotted Kashmir cadre.
     
  • He had recently returned from a foreign training and was awaiting posting.
     
  • He is also an MBBS degree holder.
     

Soon after the word of Faesal’s resignation got out, there have been talks of his joining the National Conference and contesting the upcoming elections from Kashmir.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted, “The bureaucracy's loss is politics' gain. Welcome to the fold Shah Faesal.”

However, amid speculations, Abdullah later clarified his stance in another tweet, saying, “Actually I welcomed him to the fold of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce.”

Politician Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter to express his disappointment over Faesal’s resignation.

“I am deeply disappointed by this decision made by an IAS topper of whom all India was proud. I understand your frustration with the present Government, which many of us feel. But you could have waited for the 2019 elections to produce a more humane, proactive Govt. All the best,” he tweeted.

Faesal also announced that he will be addressing a press conference on Friday.

Here's what some others had to say about Faesal's retirement