Living in a progressive democracy empowers its citizens with various forms of freedom. Information, education, employment and standard of living are enjoyed as fundamental rights. Freedom of expression is exercised by citizens for the most part of time. It is this right that allows people to speak their mind (whether honed or not!), communicate their ideas (sometimes brilliant, sometimes wacky), express their opinions about the Government, wars, economy, colour of the season and on various others. It also hands them a strong hand to protest if internal Government or foreign policies do not make much sense. Somewhere in the making of the constitution, the clause on the permissible methods to protest was forgotten. So, now we have people burning effigies, running a cycle rally, protesting in weird clothes (always better than none at all!) and calling for strikes and total stoppage for a day or sine die. Total stoppage? How would that serve the purpose, many may want to know.
Today, Monday, the 5th of July 2010, when friends and relatives in the USA are enjoying the extended weekend celebrating the American Independence Day with fireworks and lights, here in India the situation is vastly different. Extended weekend it was, but it started with a precaution from Sunday, when commercial establishments – read malls, shops and transport services closed down by dusk. One had to literally ferret through thinning traffic – a rare sight, especially in the Maximum city – and a line of immobile cabs, to return.
Mondays have never been popular with people. With a reputation of getting people blue and turning the day grey, this particular Monday started with the not-so-happening news of all establishments being brought to shut down operations. Schools and colleges were notified in advance that by not studying / teaching for one day, the students and teachers would in some way add thrust to the protest against gasoline & petrol price rise. Certainly, somebody thought this right through! Offices and factories declared a forced holiday on the beginning of the week. Sure, no employee would be heard complaining of the Monday blues. But has anybody given a thought to the Tuesday tiredness?
There were a brave few who were all set to make the most of the extended weekend by taking off some place for a short break. However, in many parts of the countries, there were certain “Protest volunteers” who were deputed to ensure that people protested in the right way. Except for the media houses that worked overtime to cover the situation – to what percentage the Strike was successful (how does one calculate that!) in which city, etc. it was almost as if people were coerced to protest living their lives!
When a country is repeatedly referred to as the biggest democracy in the world, it works on the interests of the people, for the people and by the people. Instead, when a crowd calls for actions in the name of people’s interests without informing the latter of the decision – especially one that can bring life to an insipid and annoying halt for an entire day – it is time to rethink the basic ideals of democracy. Maybe it is time for retrospection with the help of an image consultant on the modes of protest, because the verdict on today is two thumbs-down.
Divya Rao
5th July 2010
Mumbai
