Jaipur: As a mark of protest against the widespread violence reported from West Bengal post the declaration of Assembly election results May 2, a total of 108 retired officials from Rajasthan, including a former Vice Chancellor and senior-ranked ex-administrative officials, have sent a memorandum to Governor Kalraj Mishra via email in the name of President Ram Nath Kovind, appealing him to intervene in the matter.
Speaking to media, former VC of Rajasthan University, J.P. Singhal, said, “Our hearts did not allow us to sit silent looking at the large-scale violence in Bengal, which disturbed the sentiments of the people and questioned the principles of democracy.
“There had to be someone who would come up and speak against this violence and hence we, the like-minded people, sent the memorandum to the Governor in the name of the President, urging him to intervene in the matter.”
The signatories include former IPS officer K.L. Bairwa, senior advocates, retired army and police personnel, representatives from the SC-ST community, Padma Shri awardees, sportspersons and journalists.
Drawing attention to the violence in West Bengal, the memorandum said that it has hurt the fundamental principles of democracy besides openly flouting Article 21 of the Constitution.
Even the ‘right to live with dignity’ has been widely violated, it said.
Appealing to the President to intervene in the matter, the memorandum demanded immediate steps as per the constitutional provisions to stop the violence and punishment for those responsible for it.
It also demanded compensation and protection for the victims of violence, besides the deployment of Central forces in the ‘violence-hit’ state.