For india, It has now become fashionable to announce a protest and call for a ‘Bandh’ and paralyse cities and states.
Fashioned by our political parties, these bandh rides on the belief that freedom of expression and peaceful protest is critical in a democracy…
Sure it is important, yet, using force to shutdown every establishment in the cities only leads to huge economic loss, besides affecting every common citizen. Adding to this, the protests often turn violent leading to the public facing the brunt of the action.
Vandalism of public and private property is now a given at each Bandh and often misused as a license for hooliganism and unruly behaviour. Often those involved do not even know what the Bandh has been called for, yet, participate in large scale vandalism, resulting in the very purpose being diluted.
Pune’s citizens are now losing their patience and the frustration is showing each time the city is brought to a standstill. Besides the obvious loss of time and money, the city has also seen precious lives being lost with these forced shutdowns.
Shreetha Chouliya, a marketing manager: The political parties on our country since times innumerable have been taking the public for granted. Many-a-times it has been observed that these people have started an agitation for their personal benefits while the entire country went for a toss.
They claim that these protests are for the greater benefit of society and people at large, but at what cost?
You are disrpting the normalcy of the entire city by creating an environment of tension and terror. People are not allowed to continue with their businesses, eventually incurring losses.
The basic services like ambulance, public transport and medical shops are also not allowed to operate, or are in fear of operating. And all this for what gain?
Do we need a rebate in petrol or whatever at the cost of precious lives?
Raghav Singh, private consultant: Bandhs are definitely a medium of protest in a democracy, but when it gets violent, the basic intent behind the cause of the Bandhs gets diluted.
Moreover, when these protests eventually resort to violence, one has to understand that violence is a stunt created by the people to prove that it has not failed.
It is absolutely clear that bandhs like the ones we have seen now have always failed to meet its purpose and is the misuse of democracy.
Pravesh Lakhani, a businessman: In my opinion, these protests are called by those who do not have any work to do. A medium to disturb and create inconvenience for those who have work on their hands.
Most of the people who support and spread this kind of violence are often those who either are unemployed, or have nothing better to do with their personal or professional lives.
A businessman or a person with any kind of job will not risk his income to be a part of the protests, just to make a point. Moreover, in most cases these are only stunts performed by political parties to showcase that they are still alive and kicking.
I am not in favour of these manufactured riots that create more problems and loss of life and public and private property, than bringing in any positive relief or change for the society.
Pallavi Acharya, an HR manager: Yesterday, I had to face a lot of inconvenience in the city on the face of the all-India protest.
Luckily, I managed to travel using the express highway from Mumbai and Pune in the early hours of the day, but later even the highway was blocked and none of my colleagues were able to reach Mumbai till the evening.
Almost all the shops and restaurants were closed, apart from the few who could afford a high level of security. The streets of Mumbai were deserted due to lack of cabs and taxis.
It was the same in Pune too, where even a school bus fell victim of these protesters. Is this what democracy gives you, the right to exploit and vandalise people and their property?
You do not have any right to destroy public property and encourage hooliganism in the name of these Bandhs. This is absolutely uncalled for and the Supreme Court needs to intervene to stop this Bandh menace.
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#All views expressed in this article are those of the individual respondents and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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