Divya's response was personal; the congratulatory message should have been avoided. – K. S. Sabarinadhan.

K.S. Sabarinadhan stated that Divya S. Iyer’s congratulatory message to K.K. Ragesh, the Chief Minister’s private secretary, on his appointment as the CPI(M) Kannur district secretary was a lapse in judgment. While Divya’s response may have been personal, Sabarinadhan said that as a government official, she should have avoided praising someone appointed to a political position.

He noted that while there is nothing wrong with a government officer appreciating the government or its policies, praising K.K. Ragesh — who received a political appointment — required more caution. Sabarinadhan shared these remarks in an interview with an online media outlet.

The controversy began when Divya S. Iyer, a senior government officer, shared an Instagram post congratulating K.K. Ragesh following his appointment as the CPI(M) Kannur district secretary. Her post, titled “Even Karna would envy this KKR armor,” sparked widespread criticism. Ragesh is also a former Rajya Sabha member.