Fear Harness Power Politics in India

Bal Thackeray has done it again. His men vandalized IBN office and showed yet again how Indian democracy, at its roots is still regressive and until the judiciary steps up people would have to live within this framework of power.

The entire media industry protested loudly against, this intolerable acts of violence, on television and other forms of media thus acknowledging the importance of ‘going down the rabbit hole’ to catch the ring leaders. However, the popular print medias’, besides The Hindu, reaction was rather subdued. The editorial of TOI, Deccan Chronicle, among others, choose not to plug it on the front page, which was disappointing.

N.Ram, the editor in chief of The Hindu, very rightly points out, the ruling government and police has been incapable in dealing with the ‘real power holders of the state.’ But he hit the nail on the head when he said the media must join hands and the history of this “has not been very encouraging.”

The Shiv Sena and MNS goons over the last 40 years have been using violence, in the name of Marathi pride and Shivaji, besides other trivial issues, in different strata of the social fabric. No one has been spared — doctors, civil society workers, sportsmen, Indian film industry and most recently journalist.

But the important question is: why has the judiciary allowed them to remain free even after their acts have repeatedly imposed a threat on national security and insulted the constitution time and again? It is interesting to note how the Supreme Court has been lenient to the Shiv Shainiks over the  years. Bal Thackeray, who idolizes Hitler, has not only very proudly accepted that he sent his men to demolish Babri Masjid, but has also insulted the former President APJ Abdul Kalam. But for some reason the head of the Shiv Shainiks has never been questioned by the judiciary.
This is not the first time media has been a victim of these ‘moral holders’ of the society  but this hooliganism does not seem enough for the either the executive, legislative or the judiciary to take adequate action. 

Is it Only Maharastra?
Unfortunately this is not only restricted to Maharastra, the goons with the guns are spread throughout the country. A case in point is Darjeeling, a small hill station that was a pride and luxury even for the British in India, is seeing a rise of a similar ‘goonda’ named Bimal Gurung — an illiterate, who does not understand either the society, nor its history and its development. The self proclaimed leader of the people has become the new God of freedom for the Gorkha population in Darjeeling. He has a background similar to a lot of our MP’s and MLA’s  — murder, corruption, money laundering, all under his belt.

The obedience under the gun is a part of this country’s regional politics. Does that mean it is the only way to crash your way to power? Or is it that the people of this country are too accepting and too tolerant of such acts, even at the cost of themselves?

I see the answer in none of them, rather the answer lies in people’s fear. This fear shows that the common people are not protected by law, which had been promised to them by the Constitution of India. I do not see this as a weakness of the citizens but a sheer failure of the justice system to act.