By Ovais Gull
Srinagar: Days after resigning from the country’s elite service, the record maker IAS topper, Shah Faesal on Friday hinted to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections as independent candidate., saying as of now ‘I have no plans to join any existing mainstream political party.’
However, Shah Faesal who remained in the news from past three days made it clear that he won’t join Hurriyat, stating that “I am the man from the system and I would be happy to change things by being in the system.
“Hurriyat doesn’t give me that opportunity as they don’t believe in electoral politics,” he said while reacting to a question asked to him over the tweet of Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
Reiterating that he has left the IAS over unabated killings and lack of political initiative on Kashmir, the top IAS officer said that “rise of lynching by mob extremism is another reason for my decision. The culture of undermining the institutions like CBI, NIA are part of the provocations that have resulted in my decision to resign from the IAS.”
He also demanded the return Kashmir Pandits, which he said the Central government hasn’t done so far.
Stating there were constant attacks on the identity of Jammu and Kashmir, the top IAS officer added that “Article 370 and 35A must be guarded to strength the bound between India and Jammu and Kashmir.”
However, he claimed that he has no pains to join any existing mainstream political party as of now, saying that he is going to meet people from tomorrow and will get their suggestions about his future course of action.
Asked whether he will contest the upcoming polls as independent candidate, Shah said that “let me get the suggestions first if people want me to go with that then I will.”
“I am qualified enough to become an MLA or MP,” he said while replying to a query whether he get the public support in politics like he got as an IAS officer.
