Every human being has certain inalienable rights, as laid down in the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All member states of the UN pledge to achieve, in co-operation with the UN, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms. While every one of the 193 member countries of the UN have signed on to the obligations enumerated as per UN charter, it is found that every member nation follows a governance model that suits it, as per its culture, history and other factors. The UN includes member nations that are relatively closed countries, like China, to open and free democracies of all sizes from the most powerful to the most populous; from direct democracy to an indirect, representative democracy, and going on to all shades of governance models in between the open and closed. Closed implies that some citizens are considered better than the others, and these people exercise due control on who can do what, when, why, how, and where. Open and free implies that each citizen has equal rights.
Democracies are thus all about the people who constitute the democracy. Democracy is most commonly interpreted to mean that it is 'of the people, by the people and for the people'. Thus citizens are the primary concern of any democracy. Democracies too are not perfect, but they are the best form of governance that we humans have seen so far. Democracies provide guaranteed freedoms to the citizens, and have a laid down system of making laws and institutions that provide governance and redress, with least limitations imposed on the citizenry.
However, every citizens rights can only be guaranteed only by the maintenance of law and order by the elected government institutions. Any breakdown of law and order infringes on the rights of citizens. These infringements can only be minimised with the active co-operation of all citizens, which entails that all citizens live up to their duties to ensure that law and order is not disturbed. Thus democracy can only be successful if the elected government works towards providing effective and efficient governance, and the citizens in turn focus on their individual duties; a 2-way street, so to say.
When citizens block public spaces for personal ends, they are effectively not living up to their duties, as also are infringing upon the rights of other citizens to the use of those public spaces. Similar is the case with destroying public/ private property, or creating a nuisance by willfully breaking rules/ creating noise, etc. This has been happening in India for a long time now. This leads to inconvenience to others, delays, as also loss of public/ private assets. This is highly undesirable as a few hold the most others to ransom. Political parties are guilty in encouraging this kind of behaviour by calling for bandhs, hartals, supporting illegal occupation of public spaces, including highways. It is high time that the government, all political parties, and citizens come together to resolve this issue, so that it does not happen. Finally, rule of law has to prevail, and it is the government's responsibility to ensure that.
Any one who breaks the law has to face the full might of the law. Citizens are supreme in a democracy but it must be remembered that no one should be above the laid down laws, and also that the state cannot be seen to be weak in enforcing the laws; it is finally the state's responsibility/ charter to ensure law and order. It thus goes without saying that while even authorised state violence on citizens is unacceptable, just as much as state's inaction on law and order issues. A weak state is an open invitation to forces inimical to the state to interfere in the functioning of the state institutions. The happenings of 26th January, our Republic day, are still too fresh where-in some anti national elements had infiltrated the tractor march and were seen running amok at the Red fort, and else where. The government exercised utmost restraint despite heavy provocation by the rioters, as otherwise innocent lives of citizens would have been lost. However, it was a sad sight to see the police cowering for cover from the unruly and violent crowd. A large number of policemen were injured, some seriously.
In the recent past, we have had two protests by a small section of citizens occupying/ blocking busy public roads; Shaheen Bagh and the farmers protest. This is highly objectionable. The government is duty bound to designate suitable places for peaceful protests by citizens. Also, it is duty bound to ensure that no other public place is blocked. I do not find any reason why the government and the opposition cannot sit together and work this out. The idea of any protest is to register your concern to the government, and not to encroach on other people's rights. It must be remembered that every such illegal act contributes to breakdown of law and order, inconvenience, delays, and losses; in every case, India loses. Let us take the case of the farmers protest. Many arterial roads to the capital have been blocked for over 2 months. There are indications of alleged involvement of people with ideologies, religious as well as political; the flags raised & the sloganeering at the sites/ meetings are a clear give-away. It must be remembered that such ideologies are not in the best interest of citizens.
Democracy is always about the citizen, whereas ideology, be it religious or political, is always about the people in power; the ones who interpret that ideology, both, religious as well as political. Democracy is all about citizens & their inalienable rights as humans.
Pakistan is a prime example of a nation with Islamic religious ideology governing the state. From a society that once was similar to India, it has now become a country where not only nearly all minorities been targets of discrimination/ killings/ migration out/ conversions, etc, but also all those Muslims who do not conform to the Sunni form of Islam; the system decides as to who is a Muslim, not the individual.
China is a prime example of a communist ideology country where the citizen has no guarantees of any freedoms; the state knows best.
India is the greatest example of a huge diverse (in every possible way) population living in relative harmony in the world's largest democracy. There are issues that are bound to crop up in any developing country having a large population of young people with lots of aspiration. All such issues can be resolved in a spirit of win-win; rigid attitudes only lead to creating a win - lose equation, in which India and its democracy invariably loses.
When India loses, every Indian loses. In a win-win situation, India wins and so does every one. Every Indian has a stake in strengthening democracy, as that is the easiest way to continue to exercise our guaranteed rights. All it takes is for each one to take our rights and duties/ responsibilities equally seriously; following the law in letter and spirit would be a great starting point in India. Democracy finally is all about equal citizenship and rule of law; elect only politicians who live by these two guiding principles, and who are known to profess/ create win-win, rather than win-lose (by divide and rule).
Jai Hind.
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