Reader, you might be wondering what is this article going to be about? Will she talk about the repealing of farm laws or constitution day? Maybe she will just mock The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, popularly known as UAPA, the arbitrarily misused law.
Indian politics is not austere; it is far from austere, it gets dirty and deadly. Just for electoral gains, protesting farmers were called various horrible names. They were labelled as separatists and some regarded them as tools of the opposition parties who allegedly funded them.
3 controversial farm laws are being repealed. In an early-morning address, @PMOIndia announced that “Maybe something was lacking in our Tapasya, which is why we could not convince some farmers about the laws…we have decided to repeal the three farm laws”.#Farmlawsrepealed pic.twitter.com/GSxv3sRrsi
— Youth Ki Awaaz (@YouthKiAwaaz) November 19, 2021
But I noticed that those opposition parties rarely held press conferences to address their issues. Even when they came out in support of farmers, it was evident that they were trying to manipulate this cause for their benefit.
The fundamental right to protest and the democratic character of India was suppressed until Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections came near. Uttar Pradesh’s legislative assembly elections have a major impact on union elections.
The Fear Of Protests
I kept wondering about the dire situation of those who were detained on ambiguous or unproven grounds while they took part in protests. So, I have become afraid to protest.
While talking to a friend of mine who proudly chooses to dissent, she said, “I can’t do it anymore…my budding career will be ruined and I have to protect it.” We both looked at the sky with restlessness.
Over the centuries, in multiple countries, we have seen waves of student protests. Even the Indian freedom struggle had multiple instances of student groups coming out on the streets to get freedom from the shackles of imperialism. It is vital to point out that certain famous personalities today disregard the freedom movement with a statement that enrages Indian citizens.
Our Unreliable Fourth Pillar
The media, which is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, is becoming funnier and unreliable. Some find Indian mainstream media is laughable, while others lament the spread of misinformation. And it is truly shameful the way news channels deviate from topics that affect the common citizen.
Often, I start talking to myself, “I want to see debates among leaders on unemployment and poverty. Is it too much to ask?” Sometimes I wonder, “Will I protest?”
I have already left the idea of joining politics in one of the earlier pieces I wrote. In the parliament, young girls like her don’t exist because they are afraid of aggressive politics. She refers to herself as an afraid, anxious girl, but whenever she writes, she raises a voice with courage with the gloomy clouds of patriarchy and partisan politics looming over her head.
But today, I am writing that the farm laws repeal is a political move. It is appeasement politics. It does not bring back the lives of farmers who protested. The passing of those three laws was never a deliberative process. We saw an address on a religious day to evoke the sentiments of communities.
Suddenly, I remembered what Karl Marx said once, “Religion is the opium of masses.” Today in India, I witness the animosity among communities without even searching for it.
Many experts wrote editorials on the laws, constitution day and protests in 2021. I wrote this with a hazy mind and a sense of worry about the future of my nation. It is a small protest by me so I can satisfy myself that the Indian constitution is not grieving in the museum.
But is it enough?