They lost the polls and are outnumbered in Parliament. What do they do to resurrect their floundering political fortunes? The interim president of a prominent political party spelt it out back in October 2019, ‘sadkon par utarna hoga’ or ‘get out onto the streets’. Since then, one or the other forward-looking, reformist central legislation has been singled out as a pretext to take to the streets. Protest politics is the Opposition’s attempt at retaining relevance. No logic, just rhetoric, vitriol and a whole lot of misinformation.
The projection is that it is a section of society raising their voice against one man—Narendra Damodardas Modi. The same man, whom they desperately tried to vilify, malign, demonise since 2002 but ended up folding against his model of governance, first in Gujarat and then nationally. It is this obsession that fuels the unrest we witness in the name of protest. Those who ‘hate’ Modi will go to any lengths to ‘hurt’ him. The ‘Modi Hatao’ brigade will compromise national interest, hurt the livelihood of the common man, condone destruction of public property and desecration of national monuments if they think it serves their purpose—that of resurrecting their political fortunes and denting the image of Prime Minister Modi.
Shaheen Bagh protests led to riots in Delhi at a time when the world was watching us host the President of the United States months after the Abrogation of Article 370. COVID-19 lockdown and Supreme Court orders dispersed that lot. Then, the ‘Andolanjeevis’ latched onto the farm laws. Farmers died in the biting Delhi cold, many succumbed to COVID. It was all blamed on the Centre. Use of drugs, alcohol abuse and hooliganism was rampant. The moral ‘lobby’ looked the other way.
It’s a travesty that someone who earns Rs 20 lakh has to pay 30 per cent tax but lakhpati and crorepati farmers pay no tax on income but demand multiple subsidies while wanting to retain the right to control the mandis, to burn parali (stubble) and abuse groundwater. The taxpayer pays for the roads but it is a bunch of arrogant, rich farmers and their stooges who block the same roads denying people passage. Holding the country to ransom has become the formula for instant headline and prime-time coverage. Democracy is throttled in the name of democracy. Just sample the extent of damage caused to livelihood and the economy.
OPINION: Lakhimpur Kheri Violence is a Well-Thought-Out Trap By Protesters Not Farmers
The Economic Impact
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), September 2021 – May impact economic recovery due to disruptions in supply chain
• CII – Agitation may push logistics cost by up to 8-10 per cent
• ASSOCHAM, December 2020 – Daily loss of Rs 3,000-3500 crore to economies of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh
• PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), December 2020 – Over Rs 70,000 crore economic loss in Q3 (December quarter)
• Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), January 2021 – Delhi, bordering states saw losses worth Rs 27,000 crore
• Work in 1800 factories on Haryana-Delhi border shut down, labour shortage
• 9000 industrial units in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan severely affected
• December 2020 – JIO lost 20 million subscribers in Punjab, Haryana
• Punjab – Hit by farmers’ stir, Walmart/Flipkart shuts Bathinda store
• Punjab – Adani Group shuts down its dry port at Kila Raipur, over 1000 families to be impacted
Right to Protest Cannot be Absolute
An entire army of Maoists, both urban and rural, have been used to stall Bharat. Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita says, ‘The Meaning of Karma is in the intention. The intention behind the action is what matters.’ Protests have been orchestrated pan-India with the intention of using it as political cannon fodder. It is India and Indians that have been hurt in the process. The recent call for Bharat Bandh and the ensuing traffic jam on the streets of the national capital showed that people are rejecting protest politics. The frustration showed as ‘political opportunists’ blocked traffic. That there were so many vehicles on the streets, shops were open and people were up and about showed that this lot does not have support. The Bharat Bandh was a failure.
Even in Lakhimpur, the desperate attempt to rabble rouse despite settlement reached between locals and the administration shows what lengths ‘political tourists’ are willing to go to. There is a sincere, concerted attempt to vitiate the atmosphere. Ironical that the champions of a law against lynching post Pehlu Khan have not said a word when four among the eight dead were lynched by ‘peaceful protesters’. Are they now condoning mob lynching? Even the top court is unhappy. They have repeatedly questioned this unrest via protest. It is only fair for them to ask, if the courts are intervening, if the laws are in abeyance then what is the need for these protests? The Right to Protest cannot be absolute.
Protests that fuel unrest, protests that cause social disharmony, protests that take away the Right to Livelihood of another citizen must be ended. Barring a few opportunists, lobbyists and echo chambers, these protests are hurting the cause of Naya Bharat. End the protest, end the unrest.
Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.
Comments
0 comment