JAMMU, Oct 15: The JKAS Fraternity strongly condemns the verbal abuse, personal insults and public humiliation of a senior female JKAS officer of the 2015 batch by Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, Shri Rajeev Ranjan, during an official departmental review meeting held at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, on October 14, 2026, which many officers of the department, including Ms Beenish Wani, joined virtually despite her being on leave due to a fracture.
The statement reads “ While the Fraternity unequivocally upholds administrative accountability and performance monitoring, it maintains that no supervisory authority can justify abusive language, intimidation or such misconduct that undermines the dignity of a serving officer
. It is pertinent to note that this is not an isolated incident, as the said officer is alleged to have a pattern of using unparliamentary and demeaning language in an official capacity. The reported leave status of an officer cannot, by itself, disprove the authenticity of a recorded virtual meeting. Declaring the footage fabricated without a transparent and independent technical examination risks misleading the public and shifting attention away from the substantive issue of conduct and workplace dignity. The JKAS Fraternity calls upon the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Secretary and the General Administration Department to order an impartial inquiry into both the original incident and the subsequent departmental clarification; ensure that no retaliatory action is taken against the affected officer; and establish effective safeguards against workplace intimidation and abuse of authority. The Fraternity reiterates that administrative discipline must be founded on mutual respect, fairness and accountability. An apology should mark the beginning of corrective action, not be followed by conduct that further aggravates the matter.
Institutional authority must never become a shield against scrutiny, and the dignity of every civil servant must be protected without exception. It is further demanded that the concerned officer tender a public apology; that no further harm be caused to the aggrieved officer; and that proceedings for misconduct be recommended against Mr Rajeev Ranjan for misbehaving with and verbally abusing a fellow officer, and for misusing his office to issue a false statement.
Additionally, a zero-tolerance policy towards such behaviour in official meetings should be implemented to ensure that such conduct is not normalised, while upholding the principles of professional ethics and accountability.
In the event that immediate and appropriate corrective measures are not taken, AJJSKA shall be constrained to resort to a Pen-Down Strike and pursue appropriate legal remedies in accordance with law to seek justice and accountability in the matter. “
|