J-K leader Shah Faesal quits politics

Shah Faesal, who resigned from the Indian Administrative Service and floated the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement last year, has quit politics, the party said on Monday.

"Faesal has stepped down as president of JKPM and also resigned from the basic membership of the party," said JKPM general secretary Iqbal Tahir.

Faesal dropped a hint about stepping away from politics on Sunday as he edited his personal details on Twitter, removing the reference to his political affiliations.

The topper of the 2009 batch, Faesal, whose detention under the draconian Public Safety Act was revoked in June, could not be contacted for comments on reports that he would be rejoining the bureaucracy as his resignation has not yet been accepted.

The official site of the Department of Personnel still shows Faesal as a serving IAS officer in his executive record sheet.

Officials in the Home and Personnel ministries refused to comment on whether Faesal was re-joining the civil services but said his explanation on a show cause notice issued in June 2018, for his comments on Twitter on growing atrocities against women, had not been received so far.

Asked whether Faesal could rejoin duty, the officials said he needs to first submit his explanation on the charges levelled against him after which the decision of accepting or rejecting his resignation would be taken.

Faesal, who surprised everyone by resigning from the government service in January 2019, had floated his own political party two months later.

He was arrested in August last year, a week after the Centre revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and divided it into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The JKPM's executive committee held an online meeting on Monday to discuss the ongoing political developments in the state, the party said in a statement.

"In the meeting, the request of Dr Shah Faesal to spare him from the organisational responsibilities was discussed. Dr Shah Faesal had informed state executive members that he is not in a position to continue with political activities and wants to be freed from the responsibilities of the organisation," the JKPM said.

"Keeping in view this request, it was decided to accept his request so that he can better continue with his life and contribute whichever way he chooses," the party said.

The JKPM's statement said it has been unanimously decided to appoint vice president Feroze Peerzada as interim president till formal elections can be held for the post of president.

The committee also accepted the resignation of its chairman Javed Mustafa Mir, who is a former MLA, it said.