‘Kashmir Issue Part of Fascist Framework’: Ex-K’taka IAS Officer

Senthil has reportedly said that the situation in Kashmir indicated that something was “fundamentally wrong”.

Karnataka IAS officer S Sasikanth Senthil resigned from his post as Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada on Friday, 6 September.

(Photo: The Quint)

Karnataka IAS officer S Sasikanth Senthil resigned from his post as Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada on Friday, 6 September, stating that it would be “unethical to continue... when the fundamental building blocks of our diverse democracy are being compromised in an unprecedented manner.”

According to a report in The News Minute, Senthil said that the situation in Kashmir is part of a “framework of fascism” that is being deployed in the country. He added that a month-long clampdown of an entire state is unheard of.

In a letter, Senthil wrote that in the coming days, he will be “better off” working outside the civil services, for the benefit of the country.

The latest resignation of a civil servant comes weeks after Kannan Gopinath, a civil servant from Kerala, stepped down in protest against the denial of “freedom of expression” to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, on 21 August. He has since been asked to rejoin service till a decision is made on his resignation.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Senthil reportedly took charge of Dakshina Kannada in June 2017 and is from the 2009 Karnataka cadre, hailing originally from Tamil Nadu.

“I also feel strongly that the coming days will present extremely difficult challenges to the basic fabric of our nation and that I would be better off outside the IAS to continue with my work at making life better for all. It simply cannot be business as usual.”

S Sasikanth Senthil

<b>“You can see the framework being deployed (in the country) and it is the time-tested framework deployed in many countries in history. The situation in Kashmir is part of this framework. A month-long clampdown of an entire state is unheard of in India and it tells you that something is fundamentally wrong.”</b>

Senthil to TNM

‘Spate of Resignations’: Karnataka Congress

(With inputs from The Hindu and The News Minute)