NEW DELHI – A group of 49 retired civil servants wrote an open letter toPrime Minister Narendra Modi, holding him responsible for what they calleda “terrifying state of affairs”.

The letter criticized in strongest terms what they dubbed the government’sfailure “in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to itby the people”.

Expressing concern over the “decline in the secular, democratic, andliberal values enshrined in our constitution”, the scathing letter said:”The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of aneight year-old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into.In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find theresponse of our Government, the leaders of our political parties inadequateand feeble”.

The letter did not spare the serving bureaucrats either, saying they “seemto have failed in their duty”.

The rape and murder in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua shocked thecommunity after a police chargesheet exposed the horrifying details of thecase. Armed with candles, placards and enormous outrage, thousands ofpeople came out on the streets this evening. Marches and sit in protestswere held across metros and small towns — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa,Thiruvananthapuram, Ajmer, Bhopal and Chandigarh.

The child, belonging to a nomadic community, was kidnapped on January 10.Over the next week, she was drugged, starved, repeatedly gangraped and thenmurdered. It has been alleged that the crime was committed to warn off theMuslim nomadic community away from the areas belonging to Hindus.

There has been a groundswell of support for the accused – with even lawyersof the Jammu Bar Association opposing the chargesheet and going on anindefinite strike to show support. The strike entered its 12th day today.

Two BJP members of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s cabinet also showedsupport for the accused, but after PM Modi’s speech condemning the attack,they were forced to resign.