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Ex civil servants demand withdrawal of terror-accused Pragya Thakur’s candidature

Published

7 years ago

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Ex civil servants demand withdrawal of terror-accused Pragya Thakur’s candidature

Expressing “disbelief and dismay” at BJP nominating the Malegaon blast case accused Pragya Thakur as its candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, a group of 71 retired civil servants have demanded that the BJP withdraw her candidature.

The former civil servants, including former Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, former Foreign Secretary and Former Chairman, National Security Advisory Board Shyam Saran, former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Nareshwar Dayal, former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & former CEO, Prasar Bharati Jawhar Sircar, former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & former Ambassador to Romania Julio Ribeiro, said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot “escape the irony of his party seeking votes in the name of fighting terrorism and at the same time endorsing the candidature of a person accused of terror crimes.”

In an open letter, the retired officials said the decision to field Pragya Thakur as a candidate could have been dismissed “as yet another example of political expediency but for the enthusiastic endorsement by no less a person than the Prime Minister, who had termed her candidature as “a symbol of our civilisational heritage”.

“As if it were not enough to nominate a person who is undergoing trial for acts of terror (the Malegaon Bomb Blast Case), Pragya Thakur, who is out on bail on medical grounds, has used the political platform she has been provided not just to propound her brand of bigotry, but also to insult the memory of Shri Hemant Karkare, the IPS officer who laid down his life in the fight against terror,” said the letter.

The letter said that for Thakur, Karkare died not because he sacrificed his own life defending ours, but because she had put a curse on him for daring to investigate her and, through his meticulous investigations, successfully charging her for terrorist crimes. “In her worldview, anyone who has the audacity to investigate a self-styled “Hindu” religious leader in a “Hindu” country earns divine wrath and therefore would naturally be destroyed,” it said.

The former civil servants said: “This dishonouring of a former colleague, an officer known for his professionalism, has come as the ultimate shock and saddened us beyond words. The country needs to honour the sacrifice of Shri Karkare and not allow deviant individuals to denigrate him and his memory. Every officer who has served with or supervised the work of Shri Karkare has testified that he was a person of impeccable integrity and an inspiration to all who came in touch with him.”

The letter stated that “It is also about the atmosphere of hate and divisiveness that characterises not just this electoral campaign but seems to be percolating through society as a whole. The candidature of Pragya Thakur is not a symbol of our civilisational heritage. Our heritage is not that of acts of terrorism. It is not of majoritarianism, but of celebrating our diversity. It is of tolerance, fraternity and of the unifying spirit of the Constitution of India.”

To the Election Commission and the judiciary, the retired officials said their efforts to contain the politics of divisiveness and of hate have had little impact so far.

“It is necessary to be far more proactive to stamp out this aberration. Inaction will only exacerbate the situation,” they said, calling upon citizens to “condemn Mr. Thakur’s statement; demanding that the BJP withdraw her candidature; and remind the Prime Minister of his oath to uphold constitutional values…,” said the letter.

OPEN STATEMENT BY FORMER CIVIL SERVANTS – CHARGESHEETED TERROR ACCUSED AS PARTY CANDIDATE

Our group of former civil servants of the All India and Central Services has no affiliation with any political party and is firmly committed to the Constitution of India. We write to express our disbelief and dismay at the candidature of Pragya Thakur for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. This decision could have been dismissed as yet another example of political expediency but for the enthusiastic endorsement by no less a person than the Prime Minister of India, who has termed her candidature as a symbol of our civilisational heritage.

As if it were not enough to nominate a person who is undergoing trial for acts of terror (the Malegaon Bomb Blast Case), Pragya Thakur, who is out on bail on medical grounds, has used the political platform she has been provided not just to propound her brand of bigotry, but also to insult the memory of Shri Hemant Karkare, the IPS officer who laid down his life in the fight against terror. For Ms. Thakur, Shri Karkare died not because he sacrificed his own life defending ours, but because she had put a curse on him for daring to investigate her and, through his meticulous investigations, successfully charging her for terrorist crimes. In her worldview, anyone who has the audacity to investigate a self-styled “Hindu” religious leader in a “Hindu” country earns divine wrath and therefore would naturally be destroyed.

As former civil servants, we are not normally wont to give voice to our feelings. However, this dishonouring of a former colleague, an officer known for his professionalism, has come as the ultimate shock and saddened us beyond words. The country needs to honour the sacrifice of Shri Karkare and not allow deviant individuals to denigrate him and his memory. Every officer who has served with or supervised the work of Shri Karkare has testified that he was a person of impeccable integrity and an inspiration to all who came in touch with him. But this statement is not just about Shri Karkare. It is also about the atmosphere of hate and divisiveness that characterises not just this electoral campaign but seems to be percolating through society as a whole.

The candidature of Pragya Thakur is not a symbol of our civilisational heritage. Our heritage is not that of acts of terrorism. It is not of majoritarianism but of celebrating our diversity. It is of tolerance, fraternity and of the unifying spirit of the Constitution of India.

To this end, we appeal to the Prime Minister of India to unequivocally condemn, through actions and statements, the existence of terror in any form. He cannot escape the irony of his party seeking votes in the name of fighting terrorism and at the same time endorsing the candidature of a person accused of terror crimes. Martyrdom cannot be selectively appropriated or given up for the pursuit of political ambition.

To institutions like the Election Commission and the Judiciary, we would like to point out that their efforts to contain the politics of divisiveness and of hate have had little impact so far. It is necessary to be far more proactive to stamp out this aberration. Inaction will only exacerbate the situation.

We, who came together to use our pooled experience in the service of the Constitution and to further the values enshrined therein, call upon our fellow citizens to join us in:

  • Condemning unequivocally, the statement of Pragya Thakur;
  • Demanding that the BJP withdraw her candidature;
  • Reminding the Prime Minister of his oath to uphold Constitutional values and appealing to him to take the lead in putting an end to the climate of fear and intimidation and communal viciousness that seems to be permeating the entire electoral process.

We appeal to our fellow citizens to come together and use our collective might to ensure that the India that was dreamt of by Mahatma Gandhi – an India engaged in a ceaseless quest for truth and nonviolence – and the India that the founding fathers of our Constitution conceived of, remains intact and rises to its full potential.

We also appeal to our fellow citizens to reject the pervading atmosphere of hate and divisiveness. Every citizen of India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, belongs to this country.

Let us celebrate our unity in diversity and recall that, together, we have given unto ourselves this Constitution.

Endorsed by:

Anita Agnihotri IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Department of Social Justice Empowerment, GoI 2. Salahuddin Ahmad IAS (Retd.) Former Chief Secretary, Rajasthan 3. V.S. Ailawadi IAS (Retd.) Former Vice Chairman, Delhi Development Authority 4. S.P. Ambrose IAS (Retd.) Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping & Transport, GoI 5. Vappala Balachandran IPS (Retd.) Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 6. Gopalan Balagopal IAS (Retd.) Former Special Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 7. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Coal, GoI 8. Meeran C Borwankar IPS (Retd.) Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 9. Ravi Budhiraja IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, GoI 10. Sundar Burra IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 1 Kalyani Chaudhuri IAS (Retd.) Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 12. Javid Chowdhury IAS (Retd.) Former Health Secretary, GoI 13. Anna Dani IAS (Retd.) Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 14. Surjit K. Das IAS (Retd.) Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 15. Vibha Puri Das IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 16. P.R. Dasgupta IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, Food Corporation of India, GoI 17. Nareshwar Dayal IFS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 18. Pradeep K. Deb IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Deptt. Of Sports, GoI 19. Keshav Desiraju IAS (Retd.) Former Health Secretary, GoI 20. M.G. Devasahayam IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 21. Sushil Dubey IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Sweden 22. K.P. Fabian IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Italy 23. Arif Ghauri IRS (Retd.) Former Governance Adviser, DFID, Govt. of the United Kingdom (on deputation) 24. Gourisankar Ghosh IAS (Retd.) Former Mission Director, National Drinking Water Mission, GoI 25. Meena Gupta IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 26. Ravi Vira Gupta IAS (Retd.) Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 27. Wajahat Habibullah IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 28. Deepa Hari IRS (Resigned) 29. Sajjad Hassan IAS (Retd.) Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 30. Kamal Jaswal IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, GoI 31. Rahul Khullar IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India 32. Ajai Kumar Indian Forest Service (Retd.) Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 33. Arun Kumar IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 34. Brijesh Kumar IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Department of Information Technology, GoI 35. Sudhir Kumar IAS (Retd.) Former Member, Central Administrative Tribunal 36. Subodh Lal IPoS (Retd.) Former Deputy Director General, Ministry of Communications, GoI 37. Harsh Mander IAS (Retd.) Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 38. Aditi Mehta IAS (Retd.) Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 39. Sonalini Mirchandani IFS (Resigned) GoI 40. Sunil Mitra IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 41. Noor Mohammad IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority, Govt. of India 42. Deb Mukharji IFS (Retd.) Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh and former Ambassador to Nepal 43. Pranab S. Mukhopadhyay IAS (Retd.) Former Director, Institute of Port Management, GoI 44. Nagalsamy IA&AS (Retd.) Former Principal Accountant General, Tamil Nadu & Kerala 45. P.G.J. Nampoothiri IPS (Retd.) Former Director General of Police, Govt. of Gujarat 46. Amitabha Pande IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 47. Niranjan Pant IA&AS (Retd.) Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 48. Alok Perti IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 49. Jayant Prasad IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Nepal 50. N.K. Raghupathy IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 51. V.P. Raja IAS (Retd.) Former Chairman, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission 52. C. Babu Rajeev IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, GoI 53. Julio Ribeiro IPS (Retd.) Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & former Ambassador to Romania 54. Aruna Roy IAS (Resigned) 55. Deepak Sanan IAS (Retd.) Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 56. Shyam Saran IFS (Retd.) Former Foreign Secretary and Former Chairman, National Security Advisory Board 57. S. Satyabhama IAS (Retd.) Former Chairperson, National Seeds Corporation, GoI 58. N.C. Saxena IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 59. Ardhendu Sen IAS (Retd.) Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 60. Abhijit Sengupta IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 61. Aftab Seth IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Japan 62. Ashok Kumar Sharma IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Finland and Estonia 63. Navrekha Sharma IFS (Retd.) Former Ambassador to Indonesia 64. Raju Sharma IAS (Retd.) Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh 65. Jawhar Sircar IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & former CEO, Prasar Bharati 66. Narendra Sisodia IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 67. Parveen Talha IRS (Retd.) Former Member, Union Public Service Commission 68. Thanksy Thekkekera IAS (Retd.) Former Additional Chief Secretary, Minorities Development, Govt. of Maharashtra 69. P.S.S. Thomas IAS (Retd.) Former Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission 70. Hindal Tyabji IAS (Retd.) Former Chief Secretary rank, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir 71. Ramani Venkatesan IAS (Retd.) Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. of Maharashtra.

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Rahul Gandhi attacks Centre ahead of Vladimir Putin’s India visit

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government discourages visiting foreign dignitaries from meeting Opposition leaders, calling it a sign of “insecurity,” hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Delhi.

Published

23 hours ago

on

December 4, 2025

By

Rahul Gandhi

As Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Delhi today for the India-Russia Annual Summit, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has renewed his charge that the Centre discourages visiting foreign leaders from meeting Opposition representatives. He called it a sign of “insecurity” within the government.

Rahul Gandhi alleges break in long-followed tradition

Speaking outside Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said that it has traditionally been the norm for visiting foreign leaders to meet the Leader of the Opposition, a practice he claims continued during the tenures of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

He alleged that the present government advises foreign dignitaries against such meetings. “When foreign leaders come, the government suggests they should not meet the Leader of the Opposition. This is their policy,” Gandhi said. He added that a meeting with the Opposition offers visiting leaders a broader perspective, as “we too represent India.”

Gandhi further stated that this approach reflects the government’s reluctance to allow engagement between the Opposition and foreign guests.

Former Foreign Secretary counters Gandhi’s remarks

Responding to Gandhi’s allegations, former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla said visiting leaders operate on very tight schedules and there is no protocol mandating a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition. He stressed that such interactions depend entirely on the guest’s time and preference, noting that the required meetings are those with the President and the Prime Minister.

Putin’s schedule packed with bilateral engagements

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to land in Delhi this evening on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation. His itinerary includes:

  • A private dinner with PM Modi
  • Visit to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Raj Ghat
  • Engagements at Bharat Mandapam and Hyderabad House
  • A banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu

The visit forms part of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

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TMC MLA Humayun Kabir suspended after Babri Mosque replica proposal sparks row

TMC suspended MLA Humayun Kabir after he proposed building a Babri mosque replica in Murshidabad, a move that drew criticism from the party and sparked political tension.

Published

24 hours ago

on

December 4, 2025

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Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended MLA Humayun Kabir after he publicly announced plans to construct a replica of the Babri Masjid in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. Party leaders said Kabir had earlier been cautioned for making such statements but continued to push ahead with the controversial proposal.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the MLA’s remarks were unacceptable, stressing that the party stood firmly by its secular stance. “We noticed that one of our MLAs suddenly declared he would build the Babri masjid. We had warned him before. As per the party’s decision, we are suspending him,” he said.

Kabir vows to continue project, may form new party

Kabir had planned to lay the foundation stone for the mosque replica in Beldanga on December 6. Sources indicated he is likely to resign from Trinamool on Friday and float a new party while continuing with the project.

The choice of date and nature of the project drew sharp criticism from the Trinamool leadership. Hakim alleged the move reflected a “divisional politics” strategy aligned with the BJP. “Why December 6? He could build a school or college. This is divisional politics,” he said.

Sources also said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was “hugely annoyed” by Kabir’s remarks and informed him that the party would not support or associate with such activities.

Governor raises concerns, administration on alert

West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose questioned why action was not being taken if the MLA’s statements risked creating a law-and-order issue. He said intelligence inputs suggested attempts to turn Murshidabad into a “hub of scandal,” adding that authorities would not remain silent if communal tensions were provoked.

Officials confirmed that while Kabir has permission to hold the December 6 event, the administration is maintaining a high-level alert in Murshidabad.

Minutes after his suspension, Kabir withdrew from Mamata Banerjee’s rally in the India–Bangladesh border district, where she was protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.

BJP attacks Kabir over remarks

BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo condemned Kabir’s comments, claiming they were intended to “create communal tensions.” He said any attempt to raise structures linked to historical rulers would trigger disputes similar to the Babri Masjid conflict.

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Karnataka Power Shift: What Siddaramaiah–DK Shivakumar compromise formula means

A closer look at the emerging ‘compromise formula’ between Karnataka’s top leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, and how it may shape the state’s political future.

Published

6 days ago

on

November 29, 2025

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A possible settlement between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has emerged, signalling a calmer phase in the leadership tussle within the state Congress. While the final decision rests with the party leadership in Delhi, details of the so-called “compromise formula” are gradually becoming clearer.

Breakfast diplomacy calms tensions

After weeks of speculation over friction between the two top leaders, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar met over breakfast today. The meeting, aimed at projecting unity, served as a symbolic reset after their strained ties over the chief ministership question.

Analysts believe the optics were crucial — the Congress successfully avoided a public showdown by diffusing tensions before they escalated further.

A transition of power likely, say analysts

According to political observers, the compromise indicates a strong possibility of Shivakumar taking over as Chief Minister in a smooth transition, potentially as early as March–April 2026.
For now, sources say the arrangement requires Shivakumar to continue as Deputy Chief Minister without pushing for immediate change.

In return, the formula reportedly includes more cabinet positions for leaders loyal to Shivakumar and continuation of his role as the state Congress chief. Siddaramaiah is also expected to back Shivakumar as the party’s face for the 2028 Assembly election.

Why the Congress prefers this route

Replacing Siddaramaiah abruptly would not only upset internal balance but could also weaken the party, given his stature and mass appeal. Shivakumar, despite his influence, does not have the numbers within the legislature to force a takeover, making compromise the most viable path.

Siddaramaiah has already stated that this will be his final term as Chief Minister. With his legacy secure and his position as one of Karnataka’s tallest leaders intact, he appears willing to enable a dignified transition when the time comes.

Variables that could shape the final outcome

The success of the formula depends on three key factors:

1. Trust between the two leaders

Whether Shivakumar believes Siddaramaiah will keep his word remains uncertain. Karnataka’s political history is full of last-minute shifts, giving rise to the phrase “natak in Karnataka”.

2. Decision-making by the Congress high command

Delhi’s leadership must ensure the transition happens on time and without internal resistance, especially in the run-up to the 2028 Assembly polls.

3. Caste equations and political alignment

Siddaramaiah is the strongest face of the AHINDA bloc, while Shivakumar represents the OBC Vokkaliga community. The Congress cannot afford to alienate either group, making the timing and execution of any transition extremely delicate.

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