Thiruvananthapuram: Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan rejected the central government's direction to rejoin  service. The Centre asked Kannan Gopinathan to return to service in order to strengthen the coronavirus resistance activities in the country.

However, Kannan replied to the Centre that he has no plans to rejoin service. He told Mathrubhumi News that the central government called him back in order to torture him again and the move is vindictive.

Kannan Gopinathan resigned from IAS in August 2019. He did not receive the salary for the days he worked in August and other benefits. The Centre's call to rejoin service eight months after resignation is not sincere, he made it clear. The Centre had directed Kannan Gopinathan to join service earlier also, but he refused to do.

"Asking me to return to service is not one with a good intent and meant to harass me. I see some sort of pettiness and vengeance. If they want me to work for Covid-19, I am already doing it and am working with NGOs in Maharashtra. For doing Covid-19 work, I don''t need the tag of an IAS. If they say I should do this work in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, I am willing, but will not return to service and I have written back," said Gopinathan to the media.