"Killing Of Cop Marks The Most Dangerous Turn In The Politics Of Hate" Ex-Bureaucrats Write In An Open Letter

83 former bureaucrats have written an open letter demanding the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and criticizing the centre and the Uttar Pradesh government for failing to take action against perpetrators of Bulandshahr violence.

The letter released on Tuesday follows the December 3 killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh in mob violence over alleged cow slaughter, reported The Indian Express.

The letter said that the Bulandshahr violence shows “that in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, fundamental principles of governance, of constitutional ethics and of humane social conduct stand perverted”. It further said that the violence was not spontaneous but a deliberate attempt to display majoritarian muscle and send a message to Muslim communities of the region that they must live in fear, accept their subordinate status and follow cultural diktats of the Majority community.

It is noteworthy that the main accused of killing the UP cop is a leader of the right-wing group Bajrang Dal and local BJP leaders had demanded transfer of the killed inspector accusing him of creating obstacles for religious functions.

The letter argues that the killing of a policeman is a very serious offence which represents an assault on the very basis of our civilization. Yet the CM “flaunts his bigotry as his badge of identity” and “refuses to acknowledge gravity of the situation and its communal intent, condemn the perpetrators of violence or direct the police to take action against them but instead asks them to focus attention on those responsible for illegal cow slaughter”, the letter says.

Among the former civil servants who signed the letter are former foreign secretaries Shyam Sara, Sujatha Singh and Shivshankar Menon, former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, former IAS officials and activists Aruna Roy and Harsh Mander, former Prasar Bharti CEO Jawahar Sircar and former Planning Commission secretary NC Saxena.

The letter also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that our Prime Minister who constantly keeps telling us that Constitution is the only book he worships, has remained silent even when a Chief Minister handpicked by him treats the same constitution with sheer contempt.

The former civil servants urged all citizens who respect constitutional values to join them is reasserting India’s sovereignty and to

1. Demand and compel UP CM to resign for his failure to abide by the Constitution.
2. “Remind the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, the Home Secretary, and all other members of the higher civil services concerned, of their constitutional duty to fearlessly implement the Rule of Law rather than the perverse dictates of their political masters”
3. Request the Allahabad High Court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter and order a judicial inquiry

The letter also urged citizens to form a national movement against the politics of hate and violence and salute Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh for his bravery.

The letter said that rapid erosion of constitutional values has compelled them to raise their voice nine times in the last eighteen months. A similar letter was issued after rape cases in Kathua and Unnao.

The full letter can be read here