Nowadays one serious doubt continues to linger in me. Whether the success of an agitation or protest depends upon the magnitude of the damage it causes? Whether it seriously affects the mobility of the common citizens causing massive threat to their existence? Such a doubt nags not only me but others too might be thinking on those lines. Whereever a strike, agitation, rally, is declared and observed, the leaders who give a clarion call to their follower proceed with much vigour, we can very well expect the hidden meaning behind that ‘vigour’. To cause maximum destruction such as stone pelting, injuring maiming and killing, set ablaze maximum number of vehicles as well as buildings and the more the number of casualties the greater the success.
Naming one or two parties or organizations is meaningless and absurd as all parties irrespective of ideologies and colour of flags, move on the same wavelengths. Why such a perverted thinking has taken hold of our political parties or organisations.
On carefully looking into or pondering over you can very well reach the conclusion that I am not exaggerating even a bit and what I am pointing out is absolutely true.
Suppose a national strike is declared by a group of political parties what they expect most is the magnitude of the damage caused after the strike is over but remember this is not to cast aspersions on these entities I was pointing towards the need of changing the mind-set of them. As far as a trade union is concerned strike is the last resort, as its trump card is collective bargaining and when that avenue is not attended to by the authorities concerned the last resort of striking working is adhered to but it should be held in a peaceful manner.
I was constrained to think along these lines when I happened to read about a massive agitation let loose by the Shiv Sainiks in Pune apparently for a silly reason but one of the biggest issues in their eyes. That is due to their narrow-mindedness is another matter.
Shiv Sainiks’ blood boiled as a result of shifting of a statue of Dadoji Konddeo, the mentor of Chathrapati Shivaji ,to another place from its original place by the Pune Municipal Authority (PMA). As far as the Shiv Sainiks are concerned, the shifting of the statue is quite unpardonable and hence unbearable subsequently enraging them. Militant Shiv Sainiks went on the rampage ever since the statue was shifted and vandalized vast areas of Pune destroying properties in the heat of which 53 buses were reportedly set ablaze. Shiv Sainiks charge the Congress – Nationalist Congress Party alliance (INC-NCP) for the act and the communal organization will not be satisfied as long as the statue of Dadoji Konddeo is installed at its original place. The agitation has surpassed the borders of Pune and spread to other places in Maharashtra including the nearby Lonawala. This is the third day of the agitation and if things are allowed to spill over across Maharashtra what would be the consequences? Hard to imagine. Communal spirit is something which could be injected easily for enraging the masses. Even while the Pune agitation is going on the Gujjar agitation in Rajasthan is gaining momentum with the Gujjars and the govt sticking to their respective positions.
On thinking about the goings on in Pune, one is forced to think over the fact that while many other issues concerning the welfare of the citizens are very much in the air seeking immediate attention Shiv Sainiks who swear by the welfare of the ‘Marathi Manoos’ are not at all concerned instead they prefer to make a mountain out of a mole-hill. See the price to be paid by we people for the narrow-mindedness of a communal organization?
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