Protests are generally understood as citizens expressing dissent against the ruling dispensation. However, the ruling BJP appears to be changing this by allowing or favouring only protests that support the BJP Government. It is absurd to see the party in power protesting, especially through hired protesters, many of whom reportedly did not even know what they were protesting about. BJP government is clamping down, filing FIR’s etc. on citizens, students protesting but in stark contrast pursuing double standards or a different yard stick to protests by the ruling BJP. For instance, the BJP in numerous instances (including recently) held protests by blocking roads, public spaces and even vandalism of opposition party offices (witnessed at earlier protests) but strangely no police action/FIR is registered. I want to remind Chief minister Pramod Sawant that Azad Maidan (in Panaji) as the name stands is “Grounds of Freedom” and so long as no violence is there; people should have the freedom to protest. The Government’s claim that permission was not granted is merely a deceptive excuse as the BJP Govt is well known to deny permission when it knows a protest is against it.
ARWIN MESQUITA, Colva
