Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Another day, another bandh...

According to news reports, the Gujjars have finally called off their agitation and the Samiti leaders, led by Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bainsla, regretted the violence and the loss of life during the agitation.
So that's it? What about the loss to people's livelihood caused by the bandh called by them. What about the disruption in the train services and then vandalising of public property on the trains? Burning of buses? Seems to be a quick fix method every time a bandh is called. Stop the public buses, smash the windows and then set it on fire. Who will pay for the destruction of those vehicles?
If you watch closely, everytime a camera focuses on the agitators, they with get a surge of adrenaline, start shouting slogans louder and try and push everyone else away so as to come in full view of the camera recording. Not to mention the youthful exuberance in the protesters, noticeable because everytime a camera focuses on them, they start smiling as if on cue. Frankly speaking, I believe everytime a camera gets in there, they start smashing buses.
Isn't it about time that we start prosecuting them for loss of livelihood, destruction to public property and what not? You want to call a bandh, so be it. But don't force it on us.

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