JKAS Officers Strike After IAS Secretary Abuses Subordinate
Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officers launched a pen-down strike after a senior IAS secretary allegedly called a female subordinate bloody shit during a virtual meeting.
The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service Association launched a one-day pen-down strike on Friday to protest the alleged verbal abuse of a female officer by a senior official. Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, the Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, reportedly called Beenish Wani, the Assistant Director of Employment in Ganderbal, "bloody shit" and "stupid" during a virtual review meeting on October 14. During the exchange, Ranjan asserted his authority as her boss and ordered staff to immediately draft Wani's suspension.
Wani described the experience as "traumatising," while the Labour and Employment Department initially disputed the authenticity of viral video clips, calling them "selectively edited" or potentially AI-generated. Ranjan later expressed regret to media outlets, stating he was sorry if he spoke in the heat of the moment, though he alleged that Wani had provoked him.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah intervened by writing to Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to ensure Wani faces no retribution, stating the conduct was not in keeping with expected standards for a senior officer. The JKAS Association and the Jammu and Kashmir Employees Joint Action Committee have condemned the public humiliation and demanded an impartial inquiry and a public apology. The Jammu and Kashmir Accounts and Finance Society also expressed concern over the incident, noting that such conduct undermines professional dignity.
