New Delhi:

Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who resigned from the civil services in 2019 protesting the curbs on the fundamental rights of people in Jammu and Kashmir and later actively campaigned against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), officially joined the Congress Party on Monday.

 

Gopinathan was welcomed into the party in the presence of Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, AICC media and publicity chief Pawan Khera, and leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani, and fellow former IAS officer-turned-politician Sasikanth Senthil.

 

Speaking at the event, Venugopal praised Gopinathan as “one of the brave bureaucrats with deep compassion for the marginalised and oppressed sections of society, who has consistently stood up for justice and unity.” He noted that Gopinathan, originally from Kerala, had served in the Northeast and other regions of the country before his resignation.

 

Venugopal said that Gopinathan’s decision to join the Congress reflects his belief that it is the only political party standing firmly for justice and ideology. “He resigned in 2019, yet his resignation remains unaccepted. Bureaucrats who speak up for fairness and the underprivileged are being punished by the government — this pattern is visible in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and elsewhere. Even the Chief Justice of India is not spared from such attacks,” Venugopal remarked.

 

Addressing the media, Gopinathan said he resigned because he realised the country was heading in the wrong direction. “At that time, I knew I had to oppose this course. Since then, I have travelled across 80 to 90 districts, met countless people and leaders, and observed the political landscape closely. Through this journey, I concluded that only the Congress Party has the vision and strength to guide India toward the right path,” he stated.