Srinagar: While defending 2010 IAS topper Shah Faesal, who faces disciplinary action for his posts on social media, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami Thursday said every person whatsoever his position may be is entitled to have an opinion on social issues in a democratic setup.
“If Shah Faesal has expressed concern over the rising incidents of rape in South Asia, what is harm in it?” Tarigami said in a statement. “It is a fact that women in South Asia and even in India are increasingly feeling insecure due to rising incidents of violence, including rape, against them. An IAS officer is also a part of the society and if he voices concern over these issues, what is wrong in it?”
For expressing opinion on a grave issue like rape, Shah Faesal has been charged with “failing in maintaining absolute honesty and integrity in discharge of official duty and thus acted in a manner unbecoming of public servant.”
“India is a democratic country and it can’t prohibit civil servants voicing their opinion on societal issues,” Tarigami said. “They cannot stay completely detached from the moral questions of the society. A ban on freedom of speech and expression is totally unacceptable in a democratic setup.”
