31

May

BJP leader targets Muslim  IAS officer of proven competence, integrity

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Syed Khalique Ahmed

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New Delhi | Friday | 30 May 2025

After Col Sophia Qureshi, who addressed the media during Operation Sindoor, a Muslim IAS officer and Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate of Kalaburgi district in Karnataka, Fouzia Tarannum, has faced offensive comments from a BJP leader.

 

BJP minister in Madhya Pradesh, Vijay Shah, had insulted Col Qureshi by describing her as “the sister of Pahalgam terrorists” because of her religion. A BJP MLC, N Ravi Kumar, at a public function, said that the Muslim IAS officer “may have come from Pakistan.” Kumar is also the chief whip of the BJP in the state legislature. FIRs have been registered in both cases.

 

The Karnataka IAS Officers’ Association has strongly condemned the BJP leader’s remarks. A press release posted by the Association on X reads, “Ms Fouzia Tarannum, IAS, is an officer of impeccable integrity with an exemplary track record and deep dedication to public service and the State. Remarks made by Ravikumar against her are baseless, unjustified and entirely devoid of rationale.”

 

The Association also said that “such provocative and false statements not only malign the dignity of committed civil servants but also inflict severe mental trauma and amount to harassment in the line of duty.”

 

Announcing its firm solidarity with the Muslim IAS officer, the Association expressed its deep concern over “the attempt to publicly undermine the reputation of an officer serving the people of Karnataka with sincerity, distinction and dedicated service in general.”

 

Article at a Glance
Fouzia Tarannum, a Muslim IAS officer and Deputy Commissioner of Kalaburgi, Karnataka, has faced derogatory comments from BJP leaders, including Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah, who insulted her based on her religion. Another BJP MLC, N Ravi Kumar, suggested she might have come from Pakistan, prompting FIRs against both. The Karnataka IAS Officers’ Association condemned these remarks, asserting Tarannum's integrity and dedication to public service, and demanded an unconditional apology from Kumar. They emphasized the need for civil servants to work without fear or prejudice. The comments have drawn criticism from various political figures, including Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, who labeled them anti-social. Despite the controversy, Tarannum has not publicly responded. She has received multiple awards for her contributions to governance and has a strong track record in improving educational standards and women's participation in public life.

 

Demanding an “unconditional apology” from Ravi Kumar for his “irresponsible and unacceptable comments”, the Association urged the authorities to register a case against him under relevant provisions for “the deliberate dissemination of misinformation and for attempting to denigrate the stature of an officer holding the responsible office of District Magistrate.”

 

Stating that “civil servants must be allowed to function without fear, prejudice and pressure”, the  Association said that it will continue “to stand by all officers who are targeted unfairly” and reiterated its commitment to upholding the dignity and integrity of the civil service.

 

 

BJP leader’s remarks drew sharp reaction from the state Congress leaders.  Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge condemned the BJP legislator’s remark and said: “People who talk this way about their own fellow citizens, can we even call them real Indians? He is anti-social.”

 

Karnataka secretary of the Welfare Party of India, Mubeen Ahmed, also condemned the “irresponsible and shameful” statement of the BJP leader.

 

“Such language is not only unacceptable but a direct insult to the dignity of public institutions and Kalaburgi’s political atmosphere is being polluted by the use of vulgar, abusive language. BJP leaders have stooped to using indecent words, and shockingly, some are even seen engaging in obscene acts in public.  This reflects the ethical and moral decline in certain sections of the BJP,” WPI leader remarked.

 

However, Tarannum herself has not spoken about the unsavoury comments from the BJP leader.

 

She was the only recipient from South India for outstanding contribution towards election management, security management and voter education during the 2024 Lok Sabha and the state assembly elections in 2023. She was given the award by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, on January 25 this year.

 

Mrs. Tarannum is also the winner of the third edition of the Express Excellence in Governance Awards for district magistrates who are at the forefront of governance in India. The award was given to her by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at a function in New Delhi on March 4 this year. The jury for the award was chaired by Wajahat Habibullah, the former chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities and Chief Information Commissioner of India.

 

 

Mrs Fouzia Tarannum receiving Express Excellence in Governance Awards from Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

 

According to the Kannada media reports, seven ministers wanted her to be appointed as deputy commissioner in their districts after seeing her integrity, ability and performance in Kalaburgi district.

 

She is reported to have improved educational standards during her posting in Chikkaballapur. She also worked in the horticulture department in Bengaluru for a year. As Chief Executive Officer of Koppal, she worked on poverty reduction, water supply issues and women’s welfare. In Koppal, she motivated women to drive and increased their participation in public life. She also trained women to work as agriculture assistants (Krishi Sakhi) and animal husbandry assistants (Pashu Sakhi).

 

Born and brought up in Bengaluru, she studied at Bishop Cotton School. She did her B.Com from Jyoti Nivas College and PGDM at Christ University. She also did a three-month internship at the Reserve Bank of India and later worked as a business analyst at Tata Consultancy Services.

 

However, she left her stable corporate job and resigned in 2010 to prepare for civil services. In her first attempt, she was selected for the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax). She got selected for IAS in another attempt. Her first posting as an IAS officer was in the Uttar Kannada (Karwar) district.

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