One has Right to Protest but Peacefully

Every citizen or group has right to disagree with the government in a democracy if they find that their rights have been compromised by mala fide intentions. This is their fundamental duty to oppose to any such oppression. For that they can take any progressive route of protest but it must be peaceful in all ways without any question and condition. The history tells when the protests are peaceful; those often result into better conditions for the protesters and sometimes create history.

There has been a lot of opposition to Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) which has become Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 now with the approval of Parliament and President. Same opposition has been there with National Register of Citizens also. People across the nation are on street to oppose both the NRC and CAA. This is their right and they should do but peacefully. But if we look at the protests across nation, hardly there is a single protest that has not turned violent. From Delhi to West Bengal to Uttar Pradesh, everywhere protesters have turned violent. And Police has also used force to crush these protests. And this violence is for a clause which is going to affect some outsiders who are nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan! In case of Jamia Millia Islamia, as per media reports, Delhi Police even entered the library. This cannot be appreciated in any way; neither the action of protesters nor the actions of police. 

However, there are many people, who are saying that police should have not used force, they are right. But before questioning on the actions of police anywhere, they must ask themselves whether the violence by protesters could be applauded. People are claiming that outsiders have ransacked and burned the properties. But whose responsibility is to ensure that there is no violence or any unlawful activity? Is it not the responsibility of organizers to ensure this? 

Whosoever is involved the violence irrespective insider or outsider but the protest with violence naturally loses the moral ground on which it is built on. One has right to protest but peacefully. So it is the moral responsibility of organizers of such protests to ensure no such incidents take place and if the protest remains peaceful there is no government in a democracy which would not consider its decisions.

Rajeev Upadhyay