Last year, his flight to Istanbul was grounded at New Delhi following his stern TV talk: “There are only two people in Kashmir now — stooges and separatists. And I’m not a stooge!”
THE Babu whose bureaucratic stardom created a raucous and a rat race for administration in the valley a decade ago “cut to size” his political stature inspired by Imran Khan and Arvind Kejriwal. The doctor from Lolab announced his decision to step down from his party president post on Monday.
Last year, his flight to Istanbul was grounded at New Delhi following his stern TV talk: “There are only two people in Kashmir now—stooges and separatists. And I’m not a stooge!”
He was flown back and made a high-profile captive in Srinagar’s Centaur hotel turned sub-jail.
Before announcing his resignation on heels of his Harvard sojourn, Shah had cut a “nonconformist” bureaucrat image for himself. Many called him the “dissident” in government ranks before his dramatic departure made him some kind of a deserter.
His decision came with a ‘sleight of hand’ stroke—tweaking his political designation, and confining it to, “Edward S Fellow. Medico. Fulbright. Centrist.” The online sanitization has left behind only four tweets on his timeline.
When netizens spotted the change, they unleashed a torrent of tweets on the man’s probable return to his former job he once equated with a jail-term.
“You will not understand this tangled game of chess,” wrote a netizen, apparently the former administrator’s adherent. “Don’t forget that there is an IAS officer’s brain behind it.”
You will not understand this tangled game of chess. Don’t forget that there is an IAS officer’s brain behind it.@shahfaesal sir, I hope you will make a good decision???? #ShahFaesal
— Åhjåz Mir(صیف) (@AhjazMir4) August 10, 2020
Sharing a screenshot of his old tweet, one user reminded the former politician his earlier remarks, “So, which is it for you, Shah Faesal? Are you going to be stooge or separatist or rejoin government services?”
So, which is it for you @shahfaesal, are you going to be stooge or separatist or rejoin government services?#ShahFaesal pic.twitter.com/ZpElvu9Zze
— Muhammad Imran (@ImranQazi_) August 10, 2020
Netizens also shared his recent views and connected dots between his sudden IAS resignation last year and his political decision now.
“Let me say this again, there is always something to everything that happens in Kashmir. His resignation, formation of a political party, his arrest, his release & whatever he does next should be seen with that context,” scribe Ikram Ullah wrote.
Here is #ShahFaesal in his latest interview to India Today. Let me say this again, there is always something to everything that happens in Kashmir. His resignation, formation of a political party, his arrest, his release & whatever he does next should be seen with that context. pic.twitter.com/8bpFqkkTeA
— Ikram Ullah (@ullahi_) August 10, 2020
Many wondered what silenced the man who last year roared, “Constitution was murdered by these 2 super-men who have come to rule this country.”
‘Constitution was murdered by these 2 super-men who hv come to rule this country’- #ShahFaesal after abrogation of #Article370
But now after making a political party in #Kashmir, joining hands with separatists,within 1.5 year he will be a changed person?????pic.twitter.com/P5TTvi8Tnx— Dr.Deepa Sharma (@deepadoc) August 10, 2020
“Shah Faesal was another example of a fixed match,” a netizen said. “Resignation given on 9 Jan 2019, not accepted even after 18 months. Traitors always betray.”
Shah Faesal was another example of a fixed match. Resignation given on 9 Jan 2019 ,not accepted even after 18 months. Traitors always Betray.#ShahFaesal
— FAYIQ (@fayiq_naseer13) August 10, 2020
Besides reading some uncanny patterns behind his resignation, netizens trolled the man for his decision.
@shahfaesal quits politics, may join civil services back again. Meanwhile Kashmiris who had made hefty donations to his party last year: #ShahFaesal pic.twitter.com/8FevdajEbX
— Sheikh Zaid (@sheikhzaid911) August 10, 2020
“His step is a hard hit on those who sympathise and congratulate IAS and KAS people in Kashmir,” another netizen said. “He proved, how really UPSC person can never do anything good for Kashmir and they are just puppets…”
His step is a hard hit on those who sympathise and congratulate IAS and KAS people in Kashmir. He proved, how really upsc person can never do anything good for Kashmir and they are just puppets of oppressors. #ShahFaesal pic.twitter.com/AaRroxlprs
— Aadil Abdullah {عادل_عبدالله} (@AadilAbdullah15) August 10, 2020
“I think just months detention was in his fate nothing more!” another netizen wrote. “What he got 0. Back then he was talking about Imran Khan’s way of politics and was patronising it! Mr Shah, what a man of bad decisions!”
I think just months detention was in his fate nothing more! What he got 0. Back then he was talking about Imran Khan’s way of politics and was patronising it! Mr Shah, what a man of bad decisions! #ShahFaesal
— Saqib Manzoor (@Saqibm__01) August 10, 2020
But for the day, as another public figure was trending on twitter, the memes dominated the responses and reactions.
Kashmiris reaction ????after @shahfaesal removed his bio as the president of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM), from his twitter account ????????#ShahFaesal#Kashmir pic.twitter.com/NQhoYqOjWz
— Zahid Ahmad (@Xahii_shah) August 9, 2020
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