Indian IAS officer’s abuse of Kashmiri woman officer sparks outrage
JKAS fraternity protests, demands impartial inquiry and action
Srinagar : In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer’s verbal abuse of a Kashmiri woman officer during an online meeting has sparked widespread outrage in the territory, prompting protests and demands for an impartial inquiry and disciplinary action.
According to Kashmir Media Service, IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, who hails from Bihar, used insulting and derogatory language against Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer Beenish Wani during a virtual review meeting on the Mission Youth Upliftment and Vibrant Advancement (YUVA) initiative. A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows Ranjan telling Wani, “You are bloody shit, and I am your boss!” He also reportedly threatened to suspend her and recommend her dismissal without hearing her side of the matter.
Wani serves as Assistant Director at the Employment and Counselling Centre in Ganderbal, while Ranjan is posted as Administrative Secretary Labour and Employment in IIOJK government
Ranjan was reportedly arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2020 in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir arms licence case while serving as Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara.
JKAS Association stages strike
The interim body of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service Association (JKAS) Association observed a one-day pen-down strike in protest against the verbal abuse and public humiliation of the woman officer. In a statement, it said the protest aimed to defend the dignity, self-respect and institutional honour of Kashmiri officers. It urged its members to stand united in solidarity, stressing that an attack on the dignity of one officer was a matter of concern for the entire fraternity.
The JKAS fraternity also condemned the incident, saying that administrative accountability and performance monitoring cannot justify abusive language, intimidation or conduct that undermines the dignity of a serving officer. It demanded an impartial inquiry, safeguards against workplace intimidation and assurances that Wani would not face retaliatory action.
The fraternity further said the incident was not isolated, adding that Ranjan had a pattern of using “unparliamentary and demeaning language” in an official capacity.
Farooq Abdullah demands officer’s removal
Reacting to the incident, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar said he felt ashamed after watching the video. Describing the language used against Wani as unacceptable, he said Ranjan should be reprimanded and removed from Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah seeks accountability
IIOJK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the IAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department (GAD) pending an inquiry if the territory had statehood. In a social media post, he urged the authorities responsible for exercising control over IAS officers to set an example and ensure that such conduct was not brushed under the carpet.
Mehbooba demands action
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also described Ranjan’s conduct as “unacceptable” and urged Omar Abdullah to take up the matter with the Indian government and seek strict action.
In a post on X, Mufti also referred to allegations against Ranjan concerning the issuance of illegal gun licences, urging that the matter be pursued with New Delhi.
Ruhullah says Article 370’s abrogation eroded dignity
Estranged National Conference leader and Indian parliament member from Srinagar Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi also criticized Ranjan’s conduct. In a post on X, Mehdi’s office said the senior IAS officer had confronted a woman KAS officer who “wouldn’t be shouted down in front of a room full of officers.”
“This is a grown man with a Secretary’s chair threatening a woman’s career because she asked to be allowed to finish a sentence,” the post said.
“This is what abrogation of Art 370 has brought upon us. An assault on dignity at every level. Even the officers in administration behave like conquerors. If she is touched for holding her dignity, it will have consequences,” the statement added.
The incident has intensified concerns over the treatment of Kashmiri administrative officers by senior Indian officials serving in the occupied territory. Kashmir watchers view it as an example of the colonial-style treatment of Kashmiris by Indian officials. They say that the BJP-led Indian government is using Hindutva-oriented officials to harass and intimidate local officers and advance its communal and political agenda in IIOJK.
