Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday demanded the removal of IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan from Jammu and Kashmir over alleged misconduct towards a woman JKAS officer, saying the incident had embarrassed the administrative community.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said he felt ashamed after watching a purported video of the incident circulating on social media. He described the language allegedly used against the woman officer as unacceptable and said such conduct was inconsistent with the standards expected of a senior civil servant.
Abdullah said government officers were responsible for listening to public grievances and helping people resolve their problems, rather than humiliating them. He called for Ranjan to be reprimanded and removed from Jammu and Kashmir.
Asked whether similar incidents had occurred during his tenure as Chief Minister, Abdullah said neither officers nor ministers had the right to insult people, emphasising that their primary responsibility was to serve the public and address its difficulties.
Backing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks that the officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department (GAD) pending an inquiry had Jammu and Kashmir retained statehood, Farooq Abdullah said he would have taken more stringent action.
“He would not merely have been attached. He would have been thrown out,” Abdullah said, adding that he would have sent the officer out of Jammu and Kashmir had he been in office.
He also said the incident reflected changes in the administrative functioning of Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.
The controversy centres on a purported video showing a heated exchange between Ranjan, Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, and Beenish Wani, an Assistant Director associated with Mission YUVA and a JKAS officer. The exchange reportedly took place during a review meeting on the implementation of Mission YUVA and involved discussions about the role of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
The footage allegedly shows Ranjan using abusive language towards Wani and directing officials to prepare a suspension order. The video has triggered demands from political leaders and employees’ organisations for an impartial inquiry and appropriate action.
The Labour and Employment Department has described the clips circulating on social media as selectively edited and unverified, stating that the complete recording of the October 14 meeting is available with the National Informatics Centre. The department has said the matter would be dealt with in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.
