India's anti-minority incidents: Legal solution not enough, one must stand up publicly, say 67 top ex-officers

Harsh Mander protests vigilantism off Alwar

By A Representative
Sixty-seven retired IAS, IFS (foreign) and IPS officers, in an open letter have sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "clear" and "immediate" response to sharp rise in "violence and discrimination" against minorities in India, seeking his "firm action against the perpetrators of such hate crimes against minorities in this country by the respective law enforcement authorities."
Giving details of attacks on minorities, the civil servants have said, "These recent incidents undermine our Constitutional values and weaken the rule of law to create a new normal in society", adding, while the existing laws provide adequate protection if they are implemented with the necessary will and determination", things have reached so far that legal protection alone is "not a solution when the communal virus ha spread far and wide in the society."
The letter, signed among others by several of the ex-IAS officers who have turned into social activists such as Aruna Roy and Harsh Mander, says, there is a need to "reflect on the repercussions of a situation where the present trends could threaten the peace and cohesion that is a fundamental prerequisite for our growth and development", and "stand up, oppose and publicly condemn the communalization of our society and our country."
Significantly, none of the Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officers -- who are witness to the ghastly 2002 anti-minority riots under Modi -- have signed the letter. This is in sharp contrast to at least two Gujarat cadre retired bureaucrats -- CK Koshy and VV Rama Subba Rao -- joining four others in sending a letter to Modi government's on what they called "laizzes faire approach" to making aadhaar compulsory for all services.
Register their "deep concern" at the continuing incidents of "mindless violence" in the country, especially those targeting the minorities, and "lackadaisical response of the law enforcement machinery to these attacks", the 67 ex-babus recall how "the killing of Mohammed Afrazul, a migrant worker from West Bengal in Rajsamand, Rajasthan, on the 25th Anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid (December 6) has deeply shaken each of us."
"The recording of the brutal act on video and the circulation of the justification for the killing over the internet cuts at the roots of an inclusive and pluralistic society drawing its inspiration from the teachings of Buddha, Mahavira, Ashoka, Akbar, the Sikh Gurus, Hindu Sages and Gandhi. The violent incidents in Udaipur in support of the alleged killer are a pointer to how deep the sectarian poison has spread among the population of this country", they add.
Among the signatories of the letter range from those already outrightly stood out against the Modi government such as Julio Ribeiro (ex-IPS), EAS Sarma (ex-IAS), Wajahat Habibullah (ex-IAS); to top foreign service officers Ishrat Aziz (ex-ambassador to Brazil and Saudi Arabia), Sushil Dubey (ex-ambassador to Sweden), KP Fabian (ex-ambassador to Italy), and Aftab Seth (ex-ambassador to Japan).
The incidents enumerated include the killings of Pehlu Khan by near Behror, Alwar; of Zafar Khan in the name of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan; of 16-year-old Junaid Khan on a train returning after Eid shopping in Delhi following a dispute over seats; of Anwar Hussain and Hafizul Sheikh, both 19, as they were transporting cattle purchased from Dhupguri in West Bengal; and of Umair Khan who was transporting cows from Alwar district.
The letter says, following an outcry, the Prime Minister made a statement that “killing people in the name of ‘Gau bhakti’ is unacceptable”, repeating it a day before the Parliamentary session started on July 15, 2017, yet, "the killings continue without any check", adding, things have gone so far that on December 25 quotes a BJP MLA from Rajasthan -- Gyan Dev Ahuja of Ramgarh -- who said that “if one engages in cow smuggling or slaughters a cow, he will be killed.”
The letter insists, "Such language is an open incitement to violence, acts of which are slowly poisoning the body politic and examples of which are listed above. Such words and actions have no place in a civilized society and fly in the face of established jurisprudence. Vigilantism is let loose upon a hapless group with all its tragic consequences."

Comments

Sheshu babu said…

It is heartening to note that some retired persons from prestigious government services have come forward to denounce anti - minority incidents and call for resentment publicly. They should also mobilise people to protest such incidents and appeal to the rulers to punish the miscreants who are responsible for henious atrocities

January 31, 2018

K SHESHU BABU said…

January 31, 2018

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Rollback of right to work? VB–GRAM G Bill 'dilutes' statutory employment guarantee

By A Representative The Right to Food Campaign has strongly condemned the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–GRAM G) Bill, 2025, describing it as a major rollback of workers’ rights and a fundamental dilution of the statutory Right to Work guaranteed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a statement, the Campaign termed the repeal of MGNREGA a “dark day for workers’ rights” and accused the government of converting a legally enforceable, demand-based employment guarantee into a centralised, discretionary welfare scheme.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

From jobless to ‘job-loss’ growth: Experts critique gig economy and fintech risks

By A Representative Leading economists and social activists gathered in the capital on Friday to launch the third edition of the State of Finance in India Report 2024-25 , issuing a stark warning that the rapid digitalization of the Indian economy is eroding welfare systems and entrenching "digital dystopia."

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

Search This Blog