Democracy Sans Discipline.

Your liberty to swing your arms ends where my nose begins-J.S. Mill.

In a democratic system people choose through elections the government of their choice. If not satisfied with the government they have the power to change it through the same process of elections. 

If a section of population begins to feel that the government is callous to its demands what are the choices they can exercise without being able to change the government? 

It should be open to exploration. Only condition should be that

 the ways and means so explored must result in peace and harmony.

          But certainly not the following could be the ways or means or the choice as being taken recourse to in the name of exercise of democratic rights.

 * Is it right to remain on the roads by making the latter a veritable place of residence, ploughing & cultivation, entertainment and what not in the name of peaceful protests and dharna? 

**Is it right to ride thousands of tractors in order to make them run in a rambunctious way to the Red Fort? 

 Needless to remind what happened thence? It would be sheer shameful to remember.

***Is it right to block roads and highways for months in the name of democratic rights what some believe to be constitutionally sanctioned?

****Do the rest of others,in order to reach their destinations, have not superior rights to use the roads held blocked for months?

*****Is it fair with police and magistrates who are duty bound to remain 24*7on the roads even under this biting cold so that nothing untoward happens from the point of view of law and order given the situation arising out of this dharna or gherao or hartal.

*******Do they(police and magistrates)not have the right to lead a life other than that of duty, duty and duty only? 

Only such people whose sons, husbands, wives etc. as happen to be engaged in these onerous law & order duty spanning over months round the clock would feel what I mean. Now they say they would remain on the roads till October or even thereafter.

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Freedom or liberty doesn't mean running amock for a cause whatsoever pious or dear it may be to one or the other. Neither does it mean to harm others in order to expedite one's own demands.

 Liberty of thought, belief, faith or action can never be unrestricted. This is what our Constitution says to say the least.

But we are seen to hide our misdeeds under name of democratic and constitutional rights and of course the very Constitution itself by whose name we the people and politicians alike take refuge,swear and justify our actions every now and then.

In a bid to disrepute the government of the day we are damaging democracy itself. Thanks to our wayward behaviour for winning accolades from those anxiously waiting for India as a nation to stand demoralised.

Creating/supporting peace, stability, harmony by our thoughts and actions is far far more difficult than to instigate,inflame,incite, and agitate the masses.

 The agony of the hour is that the intellectuals using social media are busy dividing in a concealed way the people in a mutually hostile groups. It is happening under the garb of right to freedom of speech and expression.

We should not forget that Democracy without Discipline is simply ochlocracy or anarchy.

How many of us would like to see that emerge?

Let all those who are neither left nor right but even-minded pore over this.

R.R.Prabhakar.

07.02.2021.