On Monday, the former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Kannan Gopinathan, who retired in 2019 in protest against the so-called shutdown of Jammu and Kashmir following the repeal of Article 370, joined Congress.
Gopinathan was welcomed into the party in the presence of party general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugipal, party leaders, Pawan Khera and Kanhaiya Kumar.
Who Is Kannan Gopinathan?
IAS membership was a way of my serving. To leave it was inevitable in order to speak. The former IAS officer wrote on X after being inducted that through the Indian National Congress, I get the room to do both, to serve the people and to put my voice against injustice.
He credited the president of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge who was in Lok Sabha as the opposition leader and Rahul Gandhi among others with welcoming him into his home.
Thank God, Shri Kharge ji, Shri RahulGandhi ji, Shri kcvenugopalmp ji and the Congress workers, supporters and friends who welcomed me to their home. It is the commencement of a lowly pilgrimage. Be my comrade, my friend, my brother,” the posting continued.
Joining the IAS was a means for me to serve.
Leaving it was a necessity to speak.
Through the Indian National Congress, I find the space to do both, to serve the people and to raise my voice against injustice.
Grateful to Shri @kharge ji, Shri @RahulGandhi ji, Shri… pic.twitter.com/tvpQhN1RUS
— Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) October 13, 2025
Why did Kannan Gopinathan leave his top cop job?
Kannan Gopinathan claimed that he had joined the Congress after understanding that the grand old party is the only one that can lead the country towards the right path.
“I resigned (as an officer) in 2019. It was one thing that was evident at the time; they are moving in the wrong direction as desired by the Government in the country. It was obvious that I was forced to struggle against the evil…I made my way through 80-90 districts and talked to the population; I also met some leaders. Then it dawned that only Congress party is able to steer the country where it needs to be steered,” ANI quoted Gopinathan saying so.
The retired IAS official further intensified his criticism of what the Narendra Modi government had done to Jammu and Kashmir by shutting down the region after revoking Article 370.
“Abrogation of Article 370 could be a Governmental decision. However, when you choose to close down a whole state, incarcerate all the journalists, MPs and former CMs, close transportation, communication and internet, then is it right? It is a question, not only to me but to everybody. Is this appropriate in a democratic country? Was there not voices which should have been raised against this? I asked that question, and I have not changed my mind about it even now,” he said.
In August 2019, the central government under PM Modi repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution effectively terminating the special status enjoyed by the state of Jammu and Kashmir and subdividing it into two Union Territories, J&K and Ladakh.
