A group of veterans from the armed forces have extended their support to the Not In My Name protests against mob lynchings and nation-wide acts of communal violence. In an open letter to Prime Minister Modi, the formed military officials said their loyalties lay only with the Constitution of India.
“Current events compelled us to register our dismay,” their letter said. “We condemn the clampdowns on free speech by attacks on media outlets, civil society groups, universities, journalists and scholars, through a campaign of branding them antinational and unleashing violence against them while the State looks away.”
“Dissent is not treason, in fact, it is the essence of democracy,” the letter said while stressing that the armed forces stand for “unity in diversity”.
Not In My Name protests
On June 28, the Not In My Name protestors had gathered in at least 10 cities in solidarity against communal and caste-based violence in the country. The demonstrations were held after documentary filmmaker Saba Dewan called for an agitation in Delhi and created a Facebook event.
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