The Right to Protest Cannot Be Selective in a Democracy
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana- Pawan Kumar Bansal.
Every citizen of India has the democratic right to protest. This was stated by Bhupinder Singh Hooda while responding to Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan over the Congress party conducting a mock Assembly session on its premises without permission.
I agree with Hooda Sahib that every citizen has the right to protest. However, perhaps he has forgotten how the Haryana Police treated guest teachers who were peacefully protesting in Rohtak — his own hometown — during his tenure as Chief Minister.
People may have short memories, but it is worth reminding everyone that the protesters, including women teachers, were subjected to a brutal lathi-charge. One female teacher reportedly lost her life after suffering a bullet injury during the agitation, despite the protest being peaceful.
I would also like to remind Hooda Sahib about the farmers of village Khedi Sadh in Rohtak district, who were peacefully protesting against the acquisition of their land for the development of an Industrial Model Township. Those farmers too were lathi-charged, and their leader, Ramesh Dalal, was allegedly implicated in false cases.
It is noteworthy that Ramesh Dalal was later granted anticipatory bail by then Rohtak Additional District Judge Shalini Nagpal, who is now a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Democracy demands consistency. The right to protest cannot be defended selectively depending on who is in power and who is in opposition.