Anti-conversion has made UP into epicentre of bigotry says over 100 bureaucrats in letter

New Delhi, Dec 30: Over 100 bureaucrats in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the anti-conversion ordinance had transformed the state into an epicentre of politics of hate, division and bigotry.

The letter with 104 signatories includes former national security advisor, Shivshankar Menon, former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao and former advisor to the PM, T K A Nair.

UP once the cradle of the Ganga-Jamuna civilisation has become the epicentre of politics of hate, division and bigotry, and institutions of governance are now steeped in communal poison, the letter read.

"What is inexcusable is the police remained mute as vigilantes harassed and interrogated the innocent couple. The woman suffered a miscarriage, possibly as a result of harassment," the letter said. It also cited instances of minorities being allegedly targeting, including a case from Moradabad in which two men were allegedly dragged by Bajrang Dal activists to the police who arrested them on allegations that one of them had forced a Hindu girl to marry him.

The ordinance is being used as a stick to victimise especially those Indian men who are Muslims and women to date to exercise their freedom of choice, the letter also said.