A group of 44 Harvard scholars and professionals on Wednesday expressed concern over what they described as attacks on India’s constitutional institutions, including the Supreme Court, Election Commission, Enforcement Directorate (ED), the office of the Chief Justice of India and Parliament.
In a statement titled “Constitutional Responsibility, Rule of Law, and Institutional Integrity”, the signatories said dissent was a democratic right, but allegations against constitutional institutions should be supported by evidence.
The group, which described its members as concerned citizens of India, said language portraying the country as being under “siege” and describing constitutional authorities as “thieves” or “compromised” could undermine public trust in democratic institutions.
The 44 signatories included lawyers, policymakers, civil servants, scientists and academics.
“We are deeply concerned by the negative public discourse and concerted campaign against India’s constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, the office of the Honourable Chief Justice of India, and Parliament,” the statement said.
Scholars Raise Concern Over Use of Harvard’s Name
The signatories also expressed concern over reports that Harvard University’s name had been used without appropriate authorisation to lend credibility to a political campaign.
They said they had issued the statement with a sense of responsibility, adding that silence in such circumstances could not be an excuse for indifference.
The statement emphasised that actions by law enforcement agencies to maintain public order should be subject to fair scrutiny. However, the signatories argued that sweeping accusations and abusive language could not replace evidence, due process or institutional accountability.
“The dignity of public servants and the offices they hold must be respected. The Constitution, rule of law, and civil liberties must be respected at all times, not just when it suits our interests,” the statement said.
Call for Constitutional Responsibility
The group called for greater respect for constitutional institutions and the principles of the rule of law, while stressing that scrutiny and accountability remained important.
“Our commitment must remain to the Constitution, not convenience; to justice, not selective outrage; and to democratic institutions, not the politics of accusation,” the statement added.
Among the signatories named in the statement were Rajat Sethi, A K Raghawan, Abhigyan Satyam, Abhishek M, Adhitya Srinivasan, Aditya Kulshreshtha, Akash Sabarwal, Udaya Birje Raghunath, Priyambada Mishra, Sujeet Kumar, Richa Arya and Rashmini Koparkar.
The statement reiterated that constitutional institutions should be scrutinised fairly, while allegations against them should be backed by evidence and assessed through due process.
