New Delhi, August 24: Kannan Gopinath, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who drew applause during his role in the 2018 Kerala floods, has resigned from the bureaucracy citing the clampdown on "freedom of expression" in recent days. The Kerala-origin officer, after quitting, has turned vocal against the alleged human rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir.

Referring to the restrictions in J&K and the clampdown on communication lines, Gopinath told reporters that he does not want to go down in the lanes of history as someone who remained mute when the "fundamental rights" of an entire state were jeopardised. Shah Faesal, IAS-Turned-Kashmir Politician, Arrested at Delhi Airport Ahead of Flight to Istanbul

"If you ask me what you were doing, when one of the world’s largest democracies announced a ban on the entire state, and even violated the fundamental rights of the people, I should at least be able to reply that I resigned my job," the Indian Express quoted him as saying.

Gopinath, wo was last serving in the Union Territory of Dadra Nagar and Haveli, told another publication that he was disappointed by the lack of response shown by the bureaucracy when former civil servant Shah Faesal was detained from Delhi airport while attempting to board a flight to Istanbul.

On his future course of action, Gopinath said he is unsure of which direction he would be heading towards. However, the ex-IAS officer added, he would actively exercise the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression.

Notably, the outgoing bureaucrat had passed out the civil services exam in the 2012-batch. Earlier, he had completed electrical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology. Gopinath hails from Kottayam in Kerala, and had undergone schooling in Puthupally.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2019 12:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).