Malicious campaign of 'calumny' on against soldiers of Muslim faith: 91 civil servants

Lance Naik Mohd Naseer, martyred on Line of Control

Counterview Desk

As many as 91 former civil servants have, in an open letter, sought investigation into what they call “malicious campaign of calumny” against soldiers of the Muslim faith in the Indian armed forces, stating “the assaults against the dignity of our Muslim citizens, as indeed physical assaults, are becoming commonplace.”
The latest campaign against “Muslim” soldiers, the letter says, “casts doubts on the loyalty of Muslim soldiers”, which has “wider implications” and could “have serious repercussions on our security and on fields of battle.”
This has happened, it regrets, “when India is facing grave external threats, attempts to divide the armed forces could well be termed acts of treason.”

Text:

We are a group of former civil servants of the All India and Central Services, who have worked for decades with Central and State Governments in the course of our careers. As a group, we have no affiliation with any political party but believe in the credo of impartiality, neutrality and commitment to the Indian Constitution. We continue to uphold the oath of allegiance to our Constitution we took when we entered service.
We are deeply disturbed to note the malicious campaign of calumny against soldiers of the Muslim faith in the armed forces of India which has caused distinguished Veterans of our armed forces to petition the Hon’ble President of India, who is also the Supreme Commander of our armed forces, seeking redress. The contents of the letter have been widely publicized and a sample is noted here.
The letter from the Veterans points out that there was no such Muslim regiment in the first place. It forcefully establishes that the charges of dereliction of duty or disloyalty laid against Muslim troops in false social media posts, which have been named, have no basis whatsoever. We support the requests of the Veterans, namely:

Investigate the antecedents of individuals who have made ‘Muslim Regiment’ post.
Identify and charge individuals who have made the post, for anti-national activities.
Issue warning to Facebook & Twitter who have enabled these posts.
Issue instructions to all state governments that generation of such false & seditious messages in social media should be acted upon with alacrity.

While assaults against the dignity of our Muslim citizens, as indeed physical assaults, are becoming commonplace, this particular theme which casts doubts on the loyalty of Muslim soldiers has wider implications which could have serious repercussions on our security and on fields of battle. At a time, particularly, when India is facing grave external threats, attempts to divide the armed forces could well be termed acts of treason.
We, the undersigned, would therefore urge that our armed forces as also the Government of India take cognizance of these fake news and issue suitable statements to negate the efforts to sully the image of our forces and our country. As the Veterans have significantly pointed out, “the public assumes that it is the truth, especially when there is no official action against the perpetrators.”
We further demand that appropriate investigative agencies be urgently tasked to thoroughly investigate and determine whether elements that have been pursuing a hate cum polarising agenda in the country are deliberately propagating this fake news with a view to causing divisions in our armed forces, weakening our national resolve and security.
Satyamev Jayate

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Click here for signatories

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