G.K. Chesterton , an eminent thinker and writer wrote certain decades back that “liberty is not a personal affair but a social contract and it is an adjustment of interests”. Obviously, G.K., Chesterton has meant that freedom and liberty should be accompanied by responsible behaviour and concern for others. It appears that this statement is more relevant today than at anytime in the past.
The recent agitation launched by what is said to be by student community in France and Belgium , demanding reforms on education and related issues, was widely reported in the global media , causing concern amongst discerning thinkers all over the world. Obviously, the agitators were trying to force issues by street protests and violent behavior with least regard for the rule of law or enlightened debates to assess the pros and cons of actions.
Since these agitations were launched in advanced countries known for healthy democracy has raised question as to whether the concept of democratic governance is now being challenged. Several months back , somewhat similar agitation took place in Sri Lanka , Nepal and Bangladesh , causing huge violence, destruction of property and finally leading to regime change. Now, with the regime change in three countries , with those who led the agitation becoming part of the government after the regime change, things have not changed and problems have not been solved .
The fact is that even without these violent agitation launched by what is now known as GenZ and so called students , election would have taken place in these countries in due course and regime change would have happened in a democratic way , if the people would desire a regime change.
Now, somewhat similar agitation is sought to be launched in India against the Modi government in spite of the fact that during the last twelve years , Modi government has achieved spectacular progress in Indian industrial, infrastructure and economic growth and now India has emerged as the fourth largest economy in the world. Obviously, these agitators are not concerned about recognising India’s progress in multiple fields but bent upon disturbing peace with the object of dislodging the government somehow.
What is very sad is that section of print, visual and social media in India who have gained notoriety for excessively focusing on hate speech , controversial news seem to be providing a free run for the agitators . When one hundred people are detained for breaking law, media report that hundreds of people have been detained. When one or two thousand people participate in agitation , media report tens of thousand people have participated. The net result is that the atmosphere in the country is getting vitiated due to the agitation launched by the disruptors , who seem to want to show their clout by causing disruption in public life as well as the media who provide huge publicity to the agitators and their methods .
The agitators, including some political parties in India have raised issues , demand resignation of ministers and constitutional authorities and use such demand as excuse to launch agitation , resulting in disturbing peace and causing anarchy.
Several senior judges in India , well known lawyers , retired bureaucrats who held top positions in government have expressed their concern about such developments and have condemned the unlawful behaviour of the agitators , who do not want to follow the process of law and procedure to take decisions.
Modi government seem to be dealing with the agitators with enormous patience and interfering only when the agitation cause deep disturbance to public life . However, when the government inevitably stop some transport facilities for a few hours to prevent the agitators from reaching the agitation site and suspending the internet for a few hours to prevent mischievous and provocative propaganda, section of media condemn the government for denying liberty to the people. When due process of law is not respected by the agitators who believe in street fighting and disrupting public life , the government would be exposing itself to the criticism that it is not defending the law and order, if the government were to remain silent and tolerant towards the agitators.
There is also an ongoing debate in India amongst concerned people as to who are funding these agitators and who are guiding the agitation and whether the forces of disruption with vested interest from India or abroad are behind the incidents .
In any case, very large segment of countrymen constituting silent majority do not approve the tactics of agitators and would decisively exhibit the views during the elections. However, the agitators want to bring the changes they want and achieve their motives by street fights and not by democratic methods of deciding issues based on elections.
Just like what happened recently in Belgium and France, the concern of the people around the world is that democratic procedures are sought to be defeated by disruptors, who certainly are not representative gathering of common men and responsible citizens.
Certainly, the future democratic traditions and practices are now in the hands of responsible and thinking people who should have the courage of conviction to call the bluff of these agitators and show them their place.
