Shah Faesal the famed IAS officer quitting politics almost over a year after joining it and handing over mantle of his newly launched regional mainstream party called “Jammu & Kashmir Peoples’ Movement” to one of his junior political colleagues has proved it beyond doubt that he had joined politics with an ambition to build a career in politics but not with the intent of selfless public service. Surprisingly Shah Faesal instead of blaming himself for a miscalculated decision of joining politics is blaming the people of Jammu & Kashmir only to send out a message that people did not come out on streets against his detention. While the fact remains that people did not cry even for those who headed popular governments several times in yesteryears and were part of the plebiscite movement and several civilian movements against the civilian killings in the years 2008,2010 and 2016 , it is absolutely improper and unwise for a new political entrant to show his displeasure over the non cooperation of the people after the withdrawal of special status to Jammu & Kashmir and it’s bifurcation into two union territories on August 5 last year. A leader as the word explains itself has to lead the people but is not to be led by anyone else. Even as a bureaucrat Shah Faesal remained in the thick of several controversies as Director School Education Kashmir and virtually reduced his stature virtually to a political loyalist of the then Education Minister. By virtue of his actions Fasel did not left any indelible footprint either in the district administration Bandipora as Deputy Commissioner of that district or in the school education department as Director School Education Kashmir.
The entry of retired bureaucrats in mainstream parties has discredited hundreds of political workers who work for decades to identify themselves with the people at the grass root. To restore the dignity of genuine political workers the mainstream political parties will have to kick out all retired bureaucrats from their parties if they want to revive the political activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
Had he advised well his political bosses over an issue concerning the appointment of government teachers under a particular scheme, he won’t have faced criticism from over one lakh teachers working in the school education department in the year 2016 and saw himself leaving the top position in the key department in a bad taste. Joining politics was his personal decision and as such he has to blame himself for quitting government service but not the pepple. In fact like Faesal several other bureaucrats have also failed in their ambitions to build a career in politics. Not even a single bureaucrat has won a single election after joining politics so for and most of them could not excel in politics even after their nomination to the legislative council the upper house of the erstwhile J&K assembly. Unfortunately bureaucrats join politics only to become members of the autonomous bodies like J&K Wakf Board and some public sector undertakings. The entry of retired bureaucrats in mainstream parties has discredited hundreds of political workers who work for decades to identify themselves with the people at the grass root. To restore the dignity of genuine political workers the mainstream political parties will have to kick out all retired bureaucrats from their parties if they want to revive the political activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
