The Politics of Protest

Following the killing of a VHP leader engaged in reconverting Christians to Hinduism allegedly by some Maoists, Hindu activists belonging to VHP and Bajrang Dal indulged in mayhem in Orissa and some other BJP ruled States like Karnataka. 50 Christians have so far been killed, more than 5000 dwellings razed, over 100 Churches torched and not less than 50 thousand members of the Christian community rendered homeless. This is not the only case where people take the law into their own hands rather than allowing it to take its course. A policeman was lynched by protestors in Jammu as part of protest demonstrations over the Amarnath land row. Not long ago, Gurjars were shown indulging in senseless violence in Rajasthan demanding ST status for their community. They uprooted railway lines, blocked national highways and refused to cremate the corpses lying in the open. The doctors go on flash strikes to protest assaults on them by next of kin of those allegedly neglected in the hospitals. The security guard of a Sikh saint fired a shot at a crowd of his opponents in Mumbai killing one of them. The crowd reacted by damaging trains and hurting their passengers. A couple of children died in a religious ashram and its supporters and opponents fought a pitched battle damaging what ever came in their way. The repetitive attacks on its factory and workers at Singur have made Tata Motors move out its upcoming Nano small car unit out of West Bengal but Mamata Bannerji of TMC who spearheaded the agitation is unrepentant in anticipation of electoral gains.

Curiously, the controversy over transfer of a piece of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board in Kashmir has both Hindus and Muslims complaining of injustice and persecution. Violent processions were taken out by one community in order to save a piece of land while rail and road movement was brought to a halt by the other to demand it. The dispute at Singur also showed TMC and CPM supporters voicing conflicting opinions and charging each other with inciting violence. The violence in Orissa too is attributed by Hindu outfits to forced conversions by missionaries while Christians deny it and blame it on a drive to consolidate Hindu votes by carrying out anti-minority propaganda. A murder should be investigated by the police. Instead of allowing the law to take its own course, the incidents are hijacked by political parties, which create disaffection and discord for their narrow ideological or electoral gains.

It is human to protest especially when one feels aggrieved. Many people around the world feel at some time or the other that they have been given a raw deal. But few take to rioting and destruction of public property with such a sense of glee and abandon as we do. One wonders why in all such situations, the public property often bears the brunt of peoples’ fury. Police vehicles are routinely burnt and fire engines trying to douse the flames stoned. Public buses and trains are damaged and tracks uprooted to bring rail traffic to a halt. Many innocent lives are lost when security forces have to open fire to control rampaging mobs. Have we no respect for law or concern for protecting public property? Should we not think twice before we vandalize what has been built with our own money and for our own benefit? Why rape a nun to seek revenge for someone’s murder? Did the poor woman kill the Hindu leader? We must ponder and refuse to play the games politicians and religious leaders set out for us. The authorities should also redress the legitimate grievances of the people in time and remove the impression that only violent protests are heeded in our country. In a mature democracy, the right to protest must not degenerate it into a licence to kill and destroy.
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