As many as 83 retired bureaucrats have written an open letter demanding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s resignation over him and his state government’s alleged failure in taking action against those responsible for the killing of a police officer in Bulandshahr.
Police officer Subodh Singh and another man were killed in December 3 Bulandshahr violence over alleged cow slaughter.
The former civil servants condemned Adityanath for refusing to acknowledge the communal intent of the incident but instead focus attention on those responsible for illegal cow slaughter.
“The chief minister of the state acted as a high priest of the agenda of bigotry and majoritarian supremacy. It was a deliberate attempt to display majoritarian muscle and send a message to the Muslim community living in the region that they have to live in fear and accept their subordinate status. The chief minister also refused to acknowledge the gravity of the incident and its communal intent, directing the police to take action against the perpetrators but instead focussed attention on those responsible for illegal cow slaughter,” the letter said.
Highlighting that the killing of a policeman is a very serious offence all over the world, the letter said, “In UP on the other hand we are witness to the entire administration, presided over by a chief minister…, preparing the ground not for bringing the perpetrators to book but for protecting them as defenders of faith and culture.”
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The letter also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “stony silence” even as he sees a Chief Minister handpicked by him treat the Constitution with sheer contempt.
“Our Prime Minister, who is so voluble in his election campaigns and who never tires of telling us of how the Constitution of India is the only holy book he worships, maintains stony silence even as he sees a Chief Minister handpicked by him treat that same Constitution with sheer contempt,” the retired civil servants wrote in the letter.
Slamming the government officers, the letter said that they have forgotten their primary allegiance to the Constitution and rule of law.
“Our colleagues have forgotten their primary allegiance to the constitution and rule of law. They allowed the hooligans to grow in strength and helped them gain impunity in their lawless action,” they said.
The signatories include former national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, former chief economic adviser Nitin Desai, former Planning Commission secretary N.C. Saxena, former Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahar Sircar and ex-Delhi lt governor Najeeb Jung.