Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who made news by resigning from the civil service criticising the central government's policies, has joined the Indian National Congress on Monday.
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
Kottayam native Kannan Gopinathan accepted Congress membership at the AICC headquarters today morning. A critic of the Modi government, the 39-year-old had resigned from service as a mark of protest against the restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. K.C. Venugopal stated that Kannan Gopinathan is joining the Congress after holding meetings with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.
We warmly welcome Shri Kannan Gopinathan, former IAS officer and fearless voice for democracy, to the Congress family.
He has served as a principled administrator, an active citizen, and a committed democrat, and his joing will certainly give a boost to our movement that stands… pic.twitter.com/caGAyab3Wj
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) October 13, 2025
Venugopal, who is the General Secretary (Organisation), handed him the membership, media reports said. He accepted the membership in the presence of leaders including Kanhaiya Kumar. Gopinathan joined the Congress at a time when Kerala is going to witness assembly elections soon. "He has served as a principled administrator, an active citizen, and a committed democrat, and his joining will certainly give a boost to our movement that stands to protect the Constitution, freedom, and the inclusive social fabric of India," Venugopal said.
Who is Kannan Gopinathan?
Kannan Gopinathan is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, of the 2012 batch of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, who resigned from the civil service in August 2019 in protest against the restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
Speaking to the press after accepting the Congress membership, Kannan said that he would work for the people. He stated, "This is a party of citizens. However, what is happening now is a journey from citizens to subjects. The goal is a journey back to citizens." "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," Gopinathan jotted on X.
He had previously served as the Secretary, Power Department, for the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. During his tenure in Mizoram, he was noted for sending an unusual letter to the then State Bank of India chairperson requesting an ATM in the remote subdivision of Hnahthial. Gopinathan had first come into the limelight when he hid his identity and joined in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods. |
