Open letter condemns Rahul for ‘trying to tarnish’ institutions

A group of 272 eminent citizens -16 judges, 123 retired bureaucrats including 14 former ambassadors, and 133 retired armed forces officers issued a signed letter on Wednesday criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, though without naming him directly, for what they saw as attempts to undermine key constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission of India (ECI).

- RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi

In their open letter, they wrote, “We, the senior citizens of civil society, express our grave concern that India’s democracy is under assault, not by force, but by a rising tide of venomous rhetoric directed toward its foundational institutions.” They said some political leaders, without offering real policy alternatives, had chosen “provocative but unsubstantiated accusations” as part of “theatrical