Does Gandhigir, Annagiri inspire dadagiri and goondagiri?
By Nisser Dias
nisserdias at gmail.com
SMS to 9422437029
In recent times or to be more specific since April Indians (minus
politicians) of all hues came together as one to support 74 year old
Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption or rather to make elected
representatives accountable for their actions. We have observed in
recent times that Union cabinet minister have caused losses to the
country to tune of lakhs of crores of rupees. While some are cooling
their heels in the Tihar jail as criminals, there are many who have got
away scot free. There are as many in our state too.
Be that as it may our countrymen tend to follow prevalent trends. During
the end of 2003, polity of this country were hugely inspired by
Bollywood movie Munnabhai MBBS starring droopy eyed Sanjay Dutt. The
movie was a runaway success and since Dutt professes “jaddo ke chappee”
non-violence method of bridging gaps in relationships the term
Gandhigiri came to be coined. That Sanjay Dutt was an accused in the
Mumbai blast in and was convicted under Arms Act is a different matter.
But the fact of the matter is Mahatma Gandhi did resort to fast unto
death to protest injustice, violence and even untruth by his companions,
comrades, followers and the Indians at large, but the difference was the
‘Father of the Nation’ undertook this fasts either in his abode or
Sabarmati Ashram where not a single individual was inconvenienced but
made everybody including the governors of British empire to sit up and
take notice. There was not a single individual including his wife to
keep accompany him in the fast, though she would worry and urge him to
end his fast.
It was not at all a grand display or posturing. It was neither a show of
strength or an exhibit of oratory skills, but was simply a protest to
right a wrong and as Gandhiji himself would meekly put it as self
purification. Nonetheless Mohandas K Gandhi – a barrister at law in
South Africa return to his country and brought the might British Empire
to its knees and forced them to handover reins of administration to the
country men and leave India. This is example of true grit and determination.
But gone are the days when true statesman, patriots used to
resort to penance to force others to introspect and realize that they
were wrong. When nobody even the government refused to take cognizance
of such protests came in what is now known as Annagiri. To resort to
Annagiri you have seek permission from various authorities like the
district administration, police, traffic cell and lots others. The
permissions or NOCs are required so that the routine life is not
paralyzed or common man is inconvenienced or that there is no law and
order situation arising from the protests.
Though these type are well publicized and stage is erected with huge
shamianas provided with chairs and even fans for thousands of supporters
and in some cases air conditioners for the main activists with doctors
attending them round the clock, ambulances stationed and equipped with
the latest gadgets and life saving drugs and the works, police
protection 24 hours a day. Providing foods for tens of thousands of
supporters. Collection and accepting donations to the tune of crores of
rupees or lacks of dollars. Mahatma Gandhi would have not only rebuked
such practice but would have undertaken another fast to put an end to
such practice
There are backroom talks to resolve the matter and backroom channels
working to convince the protestors to call of the hunger strike.
Functioning of the Parliament is derailed with either the Opposition or
political party having political interest disrupting the working of the
parliament or legislative assembly.
Take the example of Anna Hazare protest. Wide publicity by the minute,
national news channels competing with each other to increase its ratings
forcing the government to faulter, comprise and finally give in to the
demands. There was no such a hype when Mahatma Gandhi resorted to hunger
strikes. Basically the common man was not put to hardships because of
the protest.
Some in the year 2006 BJP in Goa tried to gain some cheap publicity.
Zuari bridge continued to remain closed for heavy vehicles even after
repairs were done because the concerned minister could not schedule time
to officially declare it open. So the BJP workers swooped on the
Agassaim side of the bridge and blocked the bridge paralyzing even light
vehicles from using the bridge thereby causing hardships to the
thousands of commuters. Manohar Parrikar addressing the media said that
his partymen had resorted to Gandhigiri to protest, however for
commuters who were inconvenienced called it dadagiri.
Last year BJP paralyzed the entire state to protest against price rise.
They saw to it bandh was total with all the markets and shops downing
their shutters. More recently BBSM called for a bandh and its supporters
were literally threatening shopkeepers, businessmen to close their
establishment to protests against the grant-in-aid being extended to
schools that use English as medium of instruction. This was not
Gandhigiri or Annagiri but goondagiri.
Let us take the example of Balli carnage. Schedule Tribe came to Balli
to my their protest against the government for not fulfilling their
demands. They not only inconvenienced the general public at large but
went on to indulge in arson and rioting. They did not even spare the
Collector and top police officials. ST community members torched
government vehicles causing loss to exchequer and after causing a loss
of lakhs of rupees they are demanding twelve percentage reservations for
legislative assembly elections. These are not peaceful protests or
Gandhigiri or Annagiri but dadagiri and goondagiri. (ENDS)
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First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - September 15, 2011
