Srinagar, Oct 16: The Interim Body of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) Association has called a one-day pen-down strike in protest against the alleged humiliation of a woman JKAS officer during an official meeting on October 14.
In a communication to its members, the interim body, also referred to as AJJSKA, said the protest was aimed at defending the dignity, self-respect and institutional honour of the administrative service fraternity.
The association urged members to participate in the protest and stand united in solidarity with the officer, maintaining that an alleged attack on the dignity of one member of the service was a matter of concern for the entire fraternity.
The proposed strike follows the controversy surrounding a Mission YUVA review meeting on October 14, during which senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan was accused of using derogatory language towards Beenish Wani, an Assistant Director at the Employment and Counselling Centre, Ganderbal.
The incident triggered widespread reactions after a video of the exchange circulated on social media, prompting calls for accountability and an impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The association’s call for a pen-down strike marks an escalation of the response from within the administrative service, shifting the issue from individual allegations to a collective demand concerning professional dignity and workplace conduct.
The controversy has also drawn political attention, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reportedly taking serious note of the matter and writing to the Chief Secretary to ensure that the woman officer does not face retribution.[KNT]
