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Need to ban all kinds of bandhs

Not a day passes without reports of protest, demonstration, bandh, strike, rasta- or rail-roko involving violence. These measures were justified during the freedom struggle but Mahatma Gandhi always urged the Satyagrahis to be peaceful. He would not hesitate to withdraw his move if he apprehended breach of peace.

In a democracy, there should be no place for extra-constitutional methods to achieve any objective. There are various ways for the public to ventillate their grievances. We have our elected representatives from Panchayats to Parliament to take up public issues. The media - print and electronic - are free. The judiciary is independent and there is also the PIL route for the common man.

Violence results in loss of precious life and property. The law-abiding citizen suffers most with the government remaining a silent spectator. Sec 144 Cr PC is imposed and the government doles out grants to the next of the kin of the deceased and employment. All cases registered are withdrawn. However, there is no recompense of the damage caused to public property. Ultimately, the burden on the exchequer falls on the taxpayer. All these measures may be justifiable on humanitarian grounds but are a sign of weak governance.

Khaki has lost its effectiveness and the fear of olive will also go one day. The government should firmly tackle violence and no leniency should be shown to the law-breakers.

V.S. CHAUDHRI, IAS (retd), Karnal

II

Nobody can take law into their hands and sponsor bandhs. Since activists of sponsoring political parties are shown on TV for their illegal and wrongful deeds, the authorities should take legal action against them.There is an urgent need to ban all kinds of bandhs and rallies throughout the country. Normal life comes to standstill during bandhs and the nation suffers heavily.

Surprisingly, most politicians think that they are above the law. This is a disturbing trend and a threat to democracy. Further, they exploit the uneducated class who cannot foresee their selfish motive and society suffers at last. Ultimately, it affects economic progress.

MAHESH KUMAR, New Delhi

III

The editorial, “Bandhs vs people” (July 5) was timely. People are fed up with bandhs and hartals almost every day. People come out of their houses and wear the appearance of unbridled mob by resorting to violence and disrupting train and bus services. Sometimes these bandhs and hartals are indefinite causing immense loss to life and property.

The political parties and other organisations associated with these bandhs should be pulled up and punished for grinding the country to a halt. They should be made to compensate for this colossal economic loss.

VISHAL GUPTA,S.D. Girls’ School, Narwana

IV

Democracy in India has degenerated into mobocracy and bandhs are a pastime and tools to power (Editorial, “Bandh as pastime: Protestors must pay for the loss they cause”, June 27). The poor in India are easy targets for the politicians who are flush with black money. Arranging mobs is no problem. A free trip plus a cup of tea with two samosas will do the job. For Rs 1,000, many get ready to damage the rail track. Communal feelings add fuel to the fire of poverty.

The separatists in Jammu and Kashmir are using people to kill and die for a piece of land that belongs to none while keeping their own heads safe for wearing the crown they aspire to. The BJP government in Rajasthan has given reservation to Gujjars to retain power in the ensuing elections.

Politicians and others are taking advantage of the fact that the UPA government at the Centre is too weak to protect the citizens. The powers that be at the Centre can claim that law and order is a State subject. Is there no one at the Centre who can stand up and ask why all this is happening in free India and where did we go wrong?

Dr L.R. SHARMA, Solan