More than 100 former civil servants have said that the recent instances of "hate violence against India's minority communities, particularly Muslims", represent the "subordination of the fundamental principles of our constitution and of the rule of law to the forces of majoritarianism". They also accused the government of being "fully complicit" in this process. Those who raised the concerns about hate, division and violence are not ordinary. These are former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, former National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, ex-foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, former Home Secretary GK Pillai and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's principal Secretary TKA Nair. Along with them, over 108 signatories have signed a letter addressed to the Prime Minister.

As reported in the Wire, on April 26, 2022, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former civil servants – under the banner of the Constitutional Conduct Group – said the "frenzy of hate filled destruction" that the country is witnessing is not just targeting minorities, but the Constitution itself. Though they criticised the prime minister's silence on these incidents as 'deafening', they hoped that he would "call for an end to the politics of hate that governments under your party's control are so assiduously practising".

Analysing the crisis engulfing the country, this group of former civil servants bemoaned the fact that the administration of law, instead of being an instrument for maintaining peace and harmony, has become the means by which minorities can be kept in a state of perpetual fear. In this depressing and debilitating situation, they exhorted the Prime Minister to be true to his promise of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'.

Two years have passed since this illustrious group appealed to Mr Modi to enforce the rule of law in the country. But nothing has happened. On the other hand, crises, conflicts, and violence are becoming part of the way of life in the country. What is more deplorable is that rulers are engaged in divisive and destructive politics today.

It was reported by Deccan Herald on June 23, 2024, that the Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday invoked the draconian National Security Act (NSA) against two Muslim men accused of involvement in an alleged cow slaughter. This appears to be a one-sided case, hearing and verdict. What is more abominable is the state Chief Minister's statement that "no crime against gau mata (mother cow) will be tolerated.

ADG-CID Pawan Shrivastava and his team were assigned to conduct a high-level probe into the matter. Every accused involved in the case would face "tough action." The country is facing one of the worst exam leaks at the highest level. Train accidents are recurrent, resulting in the loss of lives of many poor and the destruction of property. Monsoons have not set in many parts of north India, leaving the farmers in tears since they cannot transplant paddy. But no one bothers to say anything about these national calamities.

The Bharatiya Janta Party-led central and state governments are continuing planned and systematic stigmatisation and discrimination against minorities, especially Muslims. In the recent past, attacks on Christians have also been on the increase. The many wings of the Sangh Parivar increasingly committed violent attacks against the targeted minority communities. While violence was unleashed on them, the police and the administration turned to the other side. In some cases, they even accused the victims of violence.

The affected could not and cannot raise their violence against the perpetrators of the crime since the perpetrators are the police, judge and law enforcer themselves. The minority communities and socially oppressed communities have no choice but to await their turn to face violence.

In the past, if a general citizen's rights were violated, they could approach the National Human Rights Commission. If the Dalits were subjected to violence, they could approach the National Scheduled Caste Commission. If the women were subjected to atrocities, they could approach the National Women's Commission. Similarly, if the minorities faced violence, they could approach the National Human Rights Commission. Since all these institutions are in disarray, over 70 per cent of the population have no chance of redressal and recourse to law even if their rights are violated.

Violence goes unabated in various parts of India. Allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings were reported. It is reported that 147 deaths in police custody, 1882 deaths in judicial custody and 119 alleged extrajudicial killings were reported to the National Human Rights Commission in the first nine months of the year 2022. In the past, these used to be investigated by the Commission. But as the Commission is on its last breath, it has no way of probing into these.

In April, authorities in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Delhi summarily demolished property mostly owned by Muslims in response to communal clashes. Thus, Muslims bear the brunt of communal clashes and are also punished by the authorities as if they are the perpetrators of crime. The United Christians Forum reported that from January to July 2023, there were over 400 atrocities on Christians in 23 states. Uttar Pradesh leads with 155 incidents, followed by Chhattisgarh with 84 incidents, Jharkhand with 35, Haryana with 32, Madhya Pradesh with 21, etc. After the Modi government took over the reins in June 2024, atrocities on the Christians are on the increase.

Realising the increase in violence on the minorities in India, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended to the US government "Designate India as a 'Country of Particular Concern,' or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). Raise religious freedom issues in the US-India bilateral relationship and highlight concerns through hearings, briefings, letters, and congressional delegations."

The New York Times reported on December 24, 2021, "As Hindu Extremists Call for Killing of Muslims, India's Leaders Keep Silent". The New York Times further stated that the participants vowed to build a 'Hindu Rashtra or Nation.' It is pertinent to note that the crowd, where right-wing Hindu monks called for other Hindus to arm themselves and kill Muslims, included influential religious leaders with close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing party and even some members of the party. Modi himself remained silent on all these atrocities.

Understandably, Modi and those of his type want the religious divide to go deeper to reap electoral political benefits. It is not just tolerated but planned, programmed, financed and orchestrated. Violence in Manipur is a clear case of this. If this is the 'chaal, charitra and chehara' (behaviour, identity and face) of the BJP and RSS, why are the other political and religious leaders silent. What is holding them back from raising their voice to oppose all happening to divide and destroy this country?

There are many answers. They are busy building their own families, kingdoms and electoral fortunes. They do not want to stick their neck out and face consequences. Their own parties have been involved in similar atrocities when they were in power. They really do not bother about the plight of the Dalits, Tribals, minorities and the backward castes. They are least bothered about any threats to the Constitution. They do not want to bother about anything unless their interests are affected.

In the end, it is expedient to raise a series of questions regarding the silence of the religious and political leaders. Are they like other citizens who are subjected to violence? How can they claim to be citizens when they are silent when violence is unleashed on the Dalits, Tribals, Minorities, Backward Castes, etc.? Do they vote in the elections? If so, whom do they vote for? For which party or person do they vote? If democracy is the birthright of everyone, why do these leaders remain silent when the democratic rights of the citizens are violated by the regime? What is their response when the Constitution is under serious threat? Why do they not respond or react when the Dalit women are raped, Muslim men are lynched, resources of the Tribals are plundered, and reservations of the backward castes are appropriated by the upper castes? Why are they silent? What makes them to be quiet? When will they break their silence?