English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest Politics News

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

Published

7 years ago

on

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.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

President Murmu questions tribal development in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee calls remarks political

President Droupadi Murmu raised concerns about tribal development in West Bengal and questioned the absence of state representatives during her north Bengal visit. Mamata Banerjee called the remarks political and said they were based on misinformation.

Published

3 days ago

on

March 7, 2026

By

mamta banerjee

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday raised questions about the development of tribal communities in West Bengal and also expressed surprise over the absence of state government representatives during her visit to north Bengal.

Speaking at the International Santhal Conference, an event organised for the tribal community, the President wondered whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was upset with her, as neither the chief minister nor any minister from the state cabinet was present to receive her.

Murmu also referred to the decision to shift the venue of the conference from Bidhannagar to Goshaipur. She questioned why the programme was not allowed at the earlier venue despite adequate space being available.

Addressing the gathering, the President said she did not know whether Banerjee was upset with her and remarked that she also considers herself a daughter of Bengal. She added that Banerjee was like a younger sister to her but the reason behind shifting the programme location remained unclear.

During her speech, Murmu also raised broader concerns about the condition of tribal communities in the region. She questioned whether development and facilities intended for Santhals and other tribal groups were actually reaching them.

According to the President, the Centre has worked over the past decade to strengthen tribal identity and accelerate development for tribal communities. However, she said it did not appear that the benefits were reaching people in the region.

Murmu also suggested that some individuals might have been prevented from attending the event and said it appeared that certain groups did not want the Santhal community to unite, progress, or gain access to education and strength.

The remarks triggered a political response, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticising the situation. Sharing a video of the President’s speech, he said the incident was shameful and expressed concern over what he described as an insult to the President and to Santhal culture.

The BJP also criticised the West Bengal government, alleging that the lack of preparation and protocol during the President’s visit reflected administrative failure and disrespect for constitutional offices.

Responding to the President’s remarks, Mamata Banerjee said the statements were political in nature. Speaking during a protest in Kolkata against the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, the chief minister urged the President to avoid making remarks that could affect the dignity of the office.

Banerjee said the President had spoken about only one community and not about others in the state. She also asked her party’s MPs to seek an appointment with Rashtrapati Bhavan to present details of the state government’s work for Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities.

The Trinamool Congress also rejected the suggestion that there had been no development for tribal communities in the state. In a statement, the party said the President appeared to have been misinformed.

The party highlighted several welfare initiatives, including financial assistance under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. It said women from Scheduled Tribe communities now receive Rs 1,700 per month, amounting to Rs 20,400 annually.

The Trinamool Congress also referred to scholarships for tribal students, the establishment of schools and other development programmes aimed at improving conditions in tribal areas.

According to the party, these measures represent concrete initiatives designed to improve opportunities, dignity and development for Adivasi communities across West Bengal.

Continue Reading

India News

BJP likely to get chief minister in Bihar as Nitish Kumar plans Rajya Sabha move

Bihar may see a BJP chief minister for the first time as Nitish Kumar prepares to contest the Rajya Sabha elections. JD(U) is likely to receive 15 cabinet positions in the new government.

Published

4 days ago

on

March 6, 2026

By

BJP Leaders

Bihar may soon witness a major political transition as a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to become the state’s chief minister, following Nitish Kumar’s decision to step down and contest the Rajya Sabha elections, according to sources.

Nitish Kumar, who has served as Bihar’s chief minister for more than two decades and held the post a record ten times, filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. His move comes only four months after he was sworn in for his tenth term as chief minister.

If the reported arrangement goes ahead, it would mark the first time that the BJP occupies the chief minister’s post in Bihar, a state where leadership has largely alternated between the Janata Dal United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Possible cabinet structure being discussed

Sources indicated that the proposed government structure may include one deputy chief minister. Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar is likely to be given that role, which would mark his entry into electoral politics.

The Janata Dal United is expected to receive 15 ministerial positions in the new cabinet.

Apart from the JD(U), coalition partners may also get representation. Two ministers from the Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas, and one each from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and the Hindustani Awam Morcha are likely to be included, sources said.

The Speaker of the Bihar Assembly is expected to remain from the BJP.

Nitish Kumar has also called a meeting of all JD(U) Members of Parliament and senior party leaders to discuss the developments.

Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for March 16

Announcing his decision to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, the 75 year old leader wrote on X that he intends to continue contributing to Bihar’s development.

“I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time. I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast,” he said.

He added that the new government would have his full cooperation and guidance.

Along with Nitish Kumar, several leaders also filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections. These include BJP leader Nitin Nabin, Union minister Ram Nath Thakur from the JD(U), Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha, and BJP state general secretary Shivesh Kumar.

Polling for the Rajya Sabha elections will be held on March 16 to fill 37 seats across 10 states. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place the same day at 5 pm.

Continue Reading

India News

Siddaramaiah presents record 17th Karnataka budget with Rs 4.48 lakh crore spending plan

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah presented his record 17th budget, outlining a Rs4.48 lakh crore spending plan for 2026–27 with focus on infrastructure, welfare and technology.

Published

4 days ago

on

March 6, 2026

By

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday presented his 17th State Budget, the highest number delivered by any Karnataka chief minister, outlining a Rs 4.48 lakh crore spending plan for the financial year 2026–27.

The budget indicates that the state will continue to run a revenue deficit for the third consecutive year, even as the government focuses on welfare programmes, infrastructure development and technology investments.

According to the budget estimates, total revenue receipts are projected at Rs3,15,050 crore. This includes Rs 2,20,000 crore from the state’s own tax revenue, Rs16,000 crore from non-tax revenue, and Rs79,050 crore in transfers from the Government of India.

The government has also projected gross borrowings of Rs 1,32,000 crore and non-debt capital receipts of Rs190 crore, taking total receipts to Rs 4,47,240 crore for the fiscal year.

Meanwhile, overall expenditure is estimated at Rs 4,48,004 crore, divided into Rs 3,38,007 crore in revenue expenditure, Rs 74,682 crore in capital expenditure, and Rs 35,316 crore towards loan repayments.

The state has projected a revenue deficit of Rs 22,957 crore, while the fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs97,449 crore, which equals 2.95% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Total liabilities by the end of the year are expected to reach Rs 8,24,389 crore, accounting for 24.94% of the state’s GSDP. The government said both deficit levels remain within limits set under the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, indicating adherence to fiscal discipline.

Mekedatu project and student protection law

The government said a revised Detailed Project Report for the Mekedatu Dam Project will soon be submitted to the Centre along with a request for forest clearance. The project is intended to improve drinking water supply for Bengaluru but has faced opposition from Tamil Nadu in the past.

Another major announcement was the proposed Rohith Vemula Act, which aims to prevent caste-based discrimination and atrocities against students in government, private and deemed universities across the state.

Welfare and infrastructure focus

Under tribal welfare initiatives, the government will construct the Sri Maharshi Valmiki Administrative Soudha in Bengaluru’s Sumanahalli at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore. The building will house offices of the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department.

The budget also proposed the development of Waqf properties located in prime commercial areas through a Public-Private Partnership model, aiming to unlock their economic potential.

For urban infrastructure, Rs 1,255 crore has been allocated for ward-level road and infrastructure projects across five city corporations in Bengaluru.

The government also plans to develop 100 Miyawaki urban forests, which use dense plantations of native species to create green spaces in urban areas.

Push for technology and innovation

To encourage investment and improve ease of doing business, the state launched a unified investment portal developed with the support of Microsoft, providing more than 100 services across 30 departments for investors.

The Indian Institute of Science will host the Bangalore Robotics and AI Innovation Zone (BRAIN) under ARTPARK in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation and Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited.

Additionally, a drone testing and performance evaluation facility will be established in Chikkaballapur to support the state’s growing drone technology ecosystem.

Mysuru to be developed as second IT hub

The government also announced plans to develop Mysuru as Karnataka’s second IT hub, aiming to reduce congestion in Bengaluru while promoting technology-driven growth in other regions of the state.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com