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A day ahead of the counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in an open letter on Monday, appealed to all members of the Indian bureaucracy to perform their duties without "fear, favour, or ill-will against anybody."
"The 'Will of the People' is supreme, and people want Indian bureaucracy to return to the same 'Steel frame of India' envisaged by Sardar Patel, which has been Teflon-coated by our strong Constitutional principles that have stood the test of time," Kharge said in a post on X.
The Congress chief said that the people of India are well aware that it is the Indian National Congress that established numerous institutions, laid their solid foundation and devised mechanisms for their independence based on the Constitution of India.
"Our inspiration and India's First Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, famously called the civil servants the Steel frame of India," he said.
"Indian National Congress now urges the entire bureaucracy, to adhere to the Constitution, enact their duties, and serve the nation, without fear, favour and ill-will against anybody," he added.
"Do not get intimidated by anyone. Do not bow down to any unconstitutional means. Do not be afraid of anyone and discharge your duties, based on merit, on this counting day. We owe it to future generations, a vibrant Democracy and a long-lasting Constitution, as penned by the makers of modern India," Kharge said in his letter.
He also congratulated the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Central Armed Forces, the police in various states, civil servants, district collectors, and volunteers for their roles in conducting the elections.
Further highlighting the "independence of the institutions," Kharge said, "In this spirit, we expect every bureaucrat and officer, from top to bottom of the hierarchy, to discharge their duties in the spirit of the Constitution, without any coercion, threat, pressure or intimidation either from the ruling party/coalition or from the opposition party/coalition."
The Congress chief also emphasised that the Congress party, through the Constitution prepared by our inspirational founding members such as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, BR Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, Sarojini Naidu and countless others, not only created a framework of strong governance but also ensured affirmative action through the representation of the marginalised in the bureaucracy and civil society, in our autonomous institutions.
He claimed that the last decade witnessed a systemic pattern of assault, undermining and suppressing our autonomous institutions by the ruling party.
"India's Democratic ethos is being consequently damaged. There is a widespread tendency to turn India into a regimental dictatorship. We are increasingly seeing some institutions shedding their independence and brazenly following the diktats of the ruling party," he said.
He further claimed that some have completely adopted their communication style, way of functioning, and in some cases, even their political rhetoric.
"It is not their fault. With brute power, threat, coercive mechanisms and misuse of agencies, this tendency to bow to the powers has become a way for their short-term survival. Even though, in this denigration, India's Constitution and Democracy have become casualties," he added.
The counting of votes in the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled to be held on 4 June. Voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha was held simultaneously with the Assembly elections in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The long-drawn-out voting process spread over seven phases concluded on Saturday. The results of assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim were announced on 2 June. (ANI)
