Srinagar, Oct 16 (KNO): National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday said he felt ashamed after watching a video of an IAS officer misbehaving with a woman officer, calling his conduct unbecoming of a senior administrative official.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Dr Farooq Abdullah, said the language used by the officer was unacceptable and reflected a lack of the discipline and professionalism expected of an IAS officer. “The language he used with the woman officer was extremely inappropriate. He should be reprimanded. This shows that he lacks the manners and conduct expected of an officer,” he said, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
Dr Farooq said officers were appointed to serve the public, listen to their grievances and resolve their problems rather than insult or humiliate them. “People want to express their grievances, and officers should hear them patiently. Instead, he directly said, ‘Get out, get out.’ This is completely wrong. He should be removed from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Expressing dismay over the incident, Abdullah said, “When I saw the incident on social media today, I felt ashamed. His behaviour was completely unbecoming of an IAS officer. He has put the entire administrative community in an embarrassing position.”
Asked whether such incidents occurred during his tenure as Chief Minister, Abdullah said no officer or minister had the right to insult people. “Whether someone is an officer or a minister, they are here to serve the people and resolve their difficulties, not to insult or abuse them,” he said.
Backing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks that such an incident would not have occurred had Jammu and Kashmir retained its statehood, Farooq Abdullah said he would have taken stronger action against the officer.
“He would not merely have been attached. He would have been thrown out. If I had been in office, he would not have remained in Jammu and Kashmir for more than a few minutes. I would have put him back on a plane and sent him away,” he said.
He said the incident reflected changes in the administrative functioning of Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.
On protests in Delhi, Abdullah welcomed the demonstrations, saying a new wave was emerging against what he described as autocracy. “I think these protests are very good. A new wave is beginning against autocracy and against a Hitlerian way of life,” he said.
Dr Farooq futher urged US President Donald Trump to recognise dialogue and negotiations as the only viable means of resolving disputes. “Let us hope that Trump realises that war is not a solution. Negotiation is the way to resolve conflicts. You are not going to win through war. You will only end up killing people, and innocent people will lose their lives,” he said.—(KNO)