Yesterday a friend asked, what is my comment on the protest going on at Jantar Mantar? When I remained silent, he said that he had actually been waiting for my comment for several days. I gave my rote answer to my friend – ‘I have left the task of saving the country for a long time.’ The friend said that he has heard this many times, please reveal something.
I said that after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, I have stopped participating in political activities, giving political statements, participating in protests/demonstrations/public meetings/marches etc. or commenting on them. Even going to meetings and seminars has almost been stopped. In such a situation, how do you expect my comment? I am not a civil society activist; Neither do journalists; Neither the founder-director of any NGO. The friend quipped, ‘You are a citizen; ‘Bharat Samvad Abhiyan’ has been running since 2019 to spread civic consciousness in the country.
However, as a citizen, I write commentary on political, economic, social, cultural, educational etc. topics. This protest will also be mentioned in the next commentary. In keeping with friend’s request, the first thing to be said here is that there should be a fast track investigation into the violent police attack on protesters during the Parliament march on 20th July; And strict legal action should be taken against the guilty police officers/personnel.
This investigation must also include the incident of violent attack by police forces on students in the campus, library and hostels of Jamia Millia Islamia University in December 2019. The investigation should be done with complete seriousness and responsibility. It would be better if the Supreme Court of India, taking cognizance of the seriousness of the incident, conducts an investigation itself or orders the government to conduct an investigation.
Secondly, Indian education has been in a very serious crisis in the last three decades of the neo-liberal era. The demonstrators and the gentlemen who cheered them should not confuse the irregularities of the examination system of professional courses with education in itself. To do so would be to destroy the voice of struggle against privatization, marketization and communalization of education in the neoliberal era.
Keep in mind, neither Sonam Wangchuk nor the people who made CJP have been involved in the ideological and active struggle that has been going on in the country against making the character of education and the economy of education market-oriented.
Thirdly, at least a promise should be taken from the leaders of opposition political parties that if they come to power, places like Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan, Rajghat will be freed from barricades; There will be no ban on holding rallies or marches in Delhi or any other city of the country; Police permission will not be required for seminars/discussions/presentations in seminar rooms or auditoriums; There will be no free entry of police inside the premises of colleges and universities.
It may take time for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation and demand for reform in the examination system to be accepted, but the opposition can immediately give this pledge which is absolutely necessary for the betterment of the declining health of democracy.
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