Summary:

A proper, prompt, and equitable enforcement of the Laws ensures an orderly and harmonious society. Unimplementable or unequitable laws should be removed from the Statute books. Punishment or action against those disregarding or disobeying laws or orders issued by lawful authorities, must be seen by all as prompt, equitable and proportionate under the extant laws.

Expressing oneself to, or in dealing with, others in an orderly manner is what enables society to deal with diversity, disagreements, dissent, and dis-satisfaction of persons with their circumstances.

Quotations for Consideration

“The people’s will, constitutionally expressed , is the ultimate law for all”. and “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob rule.” ‐ Abraham Lincoln

Background

When our Country was a colony of foreign imperial powers, dissent and dis-satisfaction was exhibited by disruption, both covertly and overtly, and those that did so were seen as heroes by the general public, even if they were caught and punished. Gandhiji’s calls for non-violent civil disobedience movement motivated the participation of large numbers of people, many of whom were ‘lathi’ charged by the police and many others were even put into prison for a while. Even today, in independent India, we all see them as ‘Freedom Fighters’ and accord them due recognition.

However, such behaviour today, in a free and independent India, governed by a government, formed by the people elected by us, can no-longer be thought as necessary to express dissent or dis-satisfaction. Other orderly and effective ways, especially in these times of wide access to social media, now exist to do so without destroying private or public property, harming others, or disrupting the harmony in society. We should no-longer see such perpetrators as leaders or heroes to be lauded but as lawbreakers to be caught and punished.

Today, such disruptive and destructive acts are common as part of ‘Bandhs’ and Road/Rail ‘Rasta Roko’/ blocks and protests, with a few so-called leaders who seek visibility and recognition, even as they are careful not to be identified as being directly involved in the execution of any injury or damage but are clearly the motivators of the happenings.

The persons who actually do the bidding of such ‘Wannabe’ leaders, seek to hide themselves in the crowds they gather and claim that the disruptive and destructive acts were done by un-identified elements within such crowds. We therefore need to act effectively to tear away such camouflage and ensure that everyone involved, even as passive encouragers, is duly punished effectively and as promptly as possible, in a transparent and proportionate manner seen by all as equitable.

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