THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader and former MLA KS Sabarinadhan has criticised his wife, IAS officer Divya S Iyer, for praising CPM leader KK Ragesh. He said she could have avoided the remarks.
Divya posted the remarks on Instagram after Ragesh quit the post of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's private secretary to take up the role of CPM's Kannur district secretary. In her post, Divya said Ragesh was a hardworking person who treated officers with respect. Divya, currently serving as managing director of the Vizhinjam Port, was severely criticised by the Youth Congress and some Congress leaders.
Sabarinadhan said his wife was working hard for the government. Though her post was with good intentions there is fault in it. It is the duty of an officer to stand with the government. "There is nothing wrong in a government officer appreciating the government and its policies. But praising a person who got a political appointment is different," he said.
Ragesh's appointment was political and hence the praise could have been avoided, Sabarinadhan said, adding that he does not agree with officers praising politicians.
The Youth Congress severely criticised Divya for the eulogy. YC Kannur district president Vijil Mohan took to social media to remind Divya that she was not drawing a salary from the AKG centre. Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan opined that Divya was one of the officers who showed servitude to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He also warned that such actions would harm her in future. Opposition Leader VD Satheesan did not respond to the media's query.
In her post, Divya said that even Karna would become jealous of Ragesh's protection, referring to his stint as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's private secretary. She said she learnt many lessons from Ragesh during the past three years. He is a hardworking person. "Thank you, for always considering us with utmost respect -- an art that is getting endangered in power corridors across the globe".