IAS Officer Divya Stands by Praise for CPM Leader Amid Congress Backlash
Pinarayi Vijayan defends Iyer, slams Congress's "patriarchal mindset" over trolling
Kerala IAS officer Divya S. Iyer has stood firm on her social media post praising CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister’s private secretary K K Ragesh, despite criticism from some Congress leaders. Iyer, currently the MD of Vizhinjam International Seaport and wife of Congress leader K.S. Sabarinadhan, described Ragesh as “a textbook of loyalty” and “an inkwell of hard work” in her post.
The comment drew backlash from Congress quarters, with former MP K Muraleedharan accusing her of flattery and alleging civil servants like her were “servile” to CM Pinarayi Vijayan. However, CM Vijayan came to her defence, calling the criticism “a reflection of patriarchal thinking” and praising Iyer’s independence.
In a video response, Iyer said she was merely sharing virtues she observed in others during her service, questioning the backlash for doing so. Opposition leader V D Satheesan refrained from attacking her, while the episode has sparked a wider debate on gender, politics, and bureaucratic neutrality in Kerala.
