Describing it as a shocking episode is an understatement -- I am too shocked to search for stronger words. If an answer doesn't come up, then the episode on the 5th of June 2011 that created an Indian mid-summer night's nightmare would go down in the historical pages of Infamy as one of the most heinous acts that Independent India has ever seen.
This is certainly not the way to deal with a nonviolent protest no matter how threatening the verbal aggression was perceived on Ramdev's platform of protest. He was certainly not instigating his audience to violence.
According to reports, even at 11:30pm, some negotiations were on, with the government sending the second draft, modified, of the day. And there was an impression too that the hunger-strike would be called at 12 noon today. What happened in the next 2 hrs with an emergency cabinet meeting at the highest level, that the govt decided to act suddenly and in the middle of the night?
The Delhi police's official version is that official permission for a hunger-strike was not sought by Ramdev and co. Does that necessitate a sudden crackdown at midnight so much so that many, including women, children and old people were beaten up and tear-gas was used?
First you give a suspiciously regal VVIP reception with 4 cabinet ministers present at the airport. You negotiate for 2 days meekly, including the first one in a 6-star hotel behind closed doors. And then within two hours of forwarding a modified draft-proposal -- the second of the day, you twist your policy of negotiation right around on its head, put on iron gloves, and crack down on an unarmed peaceful crowd, to negate the hunger-strike of the 'opponent' in issue, no matter who and what his issue is, how impractical his demands were?
It was a very palpable panic reaction of the government, one that the government miserably failed to camouflage. The sudden "will-not-tolerate-nonsense" steely attitude deep at night, (as if the ruling party gained "enlightenment" after all these frustrating decades) just seems to have given its real face away. It is very, very surprising, keeping in mind the presence of a couple of seasoned troubleshooters in the cabinet, it should have much more 'political' and shrewd.
Perhaps, in face of the severe political onslaught that's egged the opposition on, the sustained effort of the central government behind having to explain and defend the series of scams, and simultaneously trying to balance the coalition equation, has caused its think-tank some possible 'mental fatigue'. The government has repeatedly failed as far as political foresight is concerned -- it seems to have become an oversight.
I am least bothered about Ramdevji's political future (now all the more so, the way he messed it up yesterday, by reacting immaturely to Kapil Sibal's distribution of his 'letter' in the evening press conference - that's my perception, it needn't be the truth) -- the one in which he'd declared and put his consenting signature on, that he'll call off his fast on Sunday at 12 noon if the govt conceded certain points. I guess Ramdev hadn't seen it coming -- the govt 'releasing' his declaration in the press, because he had consciously witheld the specifics of the letter, from the crowd in Ramleela Maidan. He changed his pitch and the main 'issue' at that moment, immediately after he was informed about Sibal's 'betrayal'.
Here the issue of Black Money takes centre-stage. Possibly the script was something like: He became agressive in his bid to deal with the 'betrayal' in public (that was certainly a thing he hadn't foreseen) -- the aggression made him make impractical demands, that he won't relent unless the govt responded with drafts in all the issues, a truly unfair demand -- that can't be done within a few days with a gun on its head).
The govt too felt threatened by his new pitch and panicked, because by now the "black money" issue was in danger of exploding right in its face, the more Baba would continue, the stronger(and angrier) the public would be instigated too, and in a short time.
And here we have the result -- both Ramdevji and the govt messed it up big time. Whatever the actual script might have been, one should keep the poorly rehearsed drama far away from contemplation and turn its focus on the after-effect of Big Mess-up. And it gets angry, very angry at the police having been brutal on women, the old people, and definitely the way it took Baba off RamLeela Maidan.
The endless political demonstrations and rallies, the ones really threatening and out-of-control, with goons blatantly conducting the show, the ones which make us more frustrated by the day, continue to take place, causing extreme discomfort to the common man. These are handled with kid-gloves, and shamelessly nonsensical political oneupsmanship. And peaceful, harmless women, children and old men are teargassed and lathicharged.. This is certainly not democratic governance.
I might not conform to Ramdevji's takes as far polity is concerned, neither do I agree with the way he thinks to execute his plans, and this personal disagreement with the intentions and policies of Ramdevji might go to the point of extremely cynical dislike.
But I will NOT agree to him being pushed back to his proper place, at the cost of disrespecting the institution of Indian democracy that empower the citizen with basic human rights. It's our duty to condemn any action that is undemocratic and goes against the sanctity of Humanism.
Nothing can justify it. And we won't take any justification. WE SHOULD PROTEST. LET'S HEAR EACH OTHER'S VOICES.
Jai Hind.
Sent from my BlackBerry®Smartphone
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Dr.Anirban Chaudhuri M.B.B.S
Consultant Physician (special interest in
Cardiology&Critical Care)
Mumbai, India
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"It is important to just listen for a while instead of speaking." -- My teacher
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