Victims forever ?
Two days ago, farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) descended on Punjab’s capital Chandigarh to register their protest at the unbundling of the PSEB. The state’s farmers have threatened to carry out a ‘rail and road roko ‘ campaign across the state on September 16 if their demands are not met. As expected the Government has sought more time from the Centre to carry out the unbundling process. The unbundling process has taken place in states across India. This basically means that the PSEB will be divided into three separate independent entities each concerned with different aspect such as electricity production, trading etc. The farmers sensing a threat to the free power supply they’re accustomed to carried out the carnage in the capital.
The protests which were supposed to be non-violent turned vicious and clashes erupted between the agitating masses and the police. The result was that three people till date have died and numerous farmers and policemen have been injured. Other than the human casualties, public and private property was damaged and vehicles torched. What struck me most about the ensuing media coverage was their cliched ‘public life disturbed’ line. Are the agitating farmers not public ? Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and the farmers have every right to hold demonstrations in their capital. If that causes a traffic jam, then too bad. That in no way condones the agitators of the mayhem they were responsible for. If the police used water cannons and lathi-charged them, then they were doing their duty. A policeman can’t be expected to witness silently as the miscreants rampage across the city torching everything they can lay their hands on. If people get killed, then it is as much the responsibility of the BKU and it’s leadership as it is of the police. If 25,000 farmers come out on the streets peacefully, it gets their displeasure across to the government. If 25,000 farmers torch vehicles, it mean they’re holding the Government to ransom.
The urban middle class too has played it’s part as the aggrieved victims. In Chandigarh, their cars were torched. In Punjab, their voices are unheard. The farmers in Punjab get free power supply. The cost incurred is subsidised by the Government. How does the Government do it ? They charge the urbanites. A few days back the Government hiked the price of power by close to 20% even as the state is reeling under 6-7 hour power cuts. True, the farmers need power because of the drought. But, are the denizens of cities step children of the state that it applies balm on the wounded farmers and gives bruises to the rest ? If the citizens don’t trample over law and order, will they forever be relegated to this state of victim hood ?
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