Hartal;another penalty to people- comment
Any party can organise hartal and threaten people and disrupt their freedom of free and fearless mobility.This anti-people activity has been taking place in the state in short intervals.And , the state, that is popular for human rights and higher education is suffering huge loss..writes Sidharth Adiyodi
However,even educated class are supporting hartals on social media.The hartal,called on by any party is an offence. Governments have the responsibility of providing free mobility of people and protecting their health and property during such strikes.April 9’s hartal by the Dalit fronts also received mixed response as usual.Some people support the strike just in the sake of Dalits. They are simply supporting it only because of the rights of Dalits. Such supporters are raising few questions that why these people are being targeted as many other political parties engage in same mode of strikes.
Big or small,protests,disrupting normal lives can’t be supported.And,same law is applicable to offenders.No need to give special privilege to any section in the name of class,creed or any such classification.Constitutional right is equal to all.Citizen right is equal to all.And,most importantly,freedom of expression is also the same to all.
In such a circumstance,the question came from different opinion leaders and some political parties that the arrest of some Dalit leaders and demonstrators who support the agitation.
The Aam Aadmi Party condemned the police action,arresting of former Naxal leader P.Geethanandan and other leaders.
KPA Majeed,the general secretary of Indian Union Muslim League also criticized the state government for suppressing the Dalit protesters rights.
Social Media took up the issue of hartal in different ways. Most of the discussions moved in two different ways.One group supported the hartal. It was very odd that some of the journalists also supported the hartal. Usually,journalists stand for the public good. Public good means public welfare;welfare of the common men;not the welfare of any political party or caste organizations.
Vehicles were being stopped.Passengers being questioned for their reason of travelling.Who are these people to ask identity card or any evidence in public roads?
It is meaningless to show your power on roads by simply putting people in distress.It is a crime.
If they want to protest ,they can do it in many ways.The hartal method is quite outdated and never help your organization anymore.
Kerala government’s action against Dalit leaders is also condemned by many.It was odd to hear Kanam Rajendran,CPI state secretary , justifying the arrest of Dalit leaders during the hartal.
Rajendran,earlier took some bold steps against hartals, took a turn by saying that every party has its right to organize hartals.
Kerala people have been suffering lot on the account of many hartals. However,we have not heard of top leaders of any mainstream parties were arrested.
Here,the government showed a biased policy.One stand for main parties and another stand for Dalits.
It is strange to watch the state government’s move to arrest and take police actions against the Dalit leaders.
In a state like Kerala,how many hartals have been organized.Most of these go to the credit of CPI(M) and the left parties.
We didn’t hear about any arrests on behalf of hartals. Justice is equal to all.
We don’t support any hartals. However,government should take same step to all hartals. Don’t show bias to small parties.
Law and order is applicable to all small and big parties alike in the case of hartals.
