The BJP keeps on harping on the (non) fact that India is the mother of democracy but events unfolding in the last nine years indicate that we are firmly a ‘mobocracy’ now. Consider what happened closer to home in Goa very recently. A mob led by right-wing outfits like the Bajrang Dal, Santana Saunstha and the VHP descended on Calangute and forced the sarpanch to withdraw his letter ordering removal of an illegally installed Shivaji statue at a traffic island which was supposed to house a high mast light.
The cowering panchas fearing for their lives were holed up in the panchayat hall for almost half a day. Instead of protecting the sarpanch, pressure was brought to bear upon him by the police and politicos to issue an apology letter for ‘hurting the sentiments’ of Hindus.
No FIRs have been registered against the boisterous hoods for stone pelting and damaging public property, the police say that they shall take suitable action after investigations (read: no action will be taken because the rioters). The way they were allowed to go berserk and the police chose to remain mere bystanders is a pointer of things to come.
The Calangute incident would set a terrible precedent and trigger similar acts of forcibly installing statues/ temples/ idols bypassing laws of the land. Political leaders by their acts of omission and commission are complicit of stoking communal fires for the sake of electoral dividends. Our CM has maintained a studied ‘zipped lips’ stance on the goings-on. Welcome to New India where mobocracy is the new normal, the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
