Prime Minister Modi standing with a perfectly framed background of Parliament and talking about how we have to focus on the unlimited potential of the youth of this country while the Delhi police were welding the barricades together and loading up tear gas cartridges to stop the students from marching to demand reforms in the education system, is what our government believes democracy looks like.
Why were the students marching? Why was Sonam Wangchuk fasting? Why did thousands of students show up at Jantar Mantar even when they were not mobilised and organised by a major opposition party like Congress? Answer to all of this is lack of accountability and empathy in the government. Three continuous elections with a majority will give you that sense of confidence that you are untouchable.
There have been about 50 paper leaks in various exams in the last few years, and yet not once accountability was fixed on the minister. Neither did he learn anything from those mistakes to stop it from happening again. After the NEET paper leak this year, there was a situation of widespread despair among students, and yet there was a complete lack of empathy from the ministry. The prime influencer who loves to do “Pariksha Pe Charcha” could have made one video asking students to stay strong and promising reforms. Even that would have been enough to calm the students down.
That didn’t happen, and a general feeling that the government does not see people as humans grew and eventually gave birth to the Cockroach Janta Party. A satirical meme page that grew so much in numbers that it became THE movement.
The takeaway from all these events is that this government can’t fathom protests against itself. Years of overwhelming support and deafening chants have made it unable to process opposition. That explains why they handled this situation so poorly. Not acknowledging the paper leaks, ignoring calls for action against the minister, showing little public acknowledgement of the 20+ students who committed suicide, then abducting Sonam Wangchuk from his fast, to using laathi charge and tear gas on students who are clearly not being violent were all indicators that the government is incapable of taking criticism and handling a protest.
They keep saying they won’t let this turn into a situation like Nepal. What they should consider is that the students in this protest showed up with roses and books. History shows that when peaceful protests are repeatedly suppressed, frustration can radicalise movements. Democracies should be careful not to create those conditions.
Recently, one MEA official told Australian press that our Prime Minister does not need to hold press conferences because he has direct communication with his people. He forgot to mention that the PM prefers “one-way” communication. When the people want to talk to him, the doors are closed, the protesters are declared anti-national, the leaders suddenly become Pakistani agents, and the entire thing is somehow against a religion and unpatriotic.
Yesterday’s police action did reinforce one truth.
India is a democracy, until you criticise it!!
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