DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF PROTEST MUZZLED

Bikash Choudhury

Delhi Police has amply shown before that it is an inept Police force; with growing atrocities on women, crimes of various kinds and terrorist attacks on vital installation and institutions time and again. And, now with brutal, uncalled for, unjust and patently blatant aggression against the peaceful protesters from various university campus has actually attempted to muzzle the very basic and fundamental rights of citizens to protest against an issue as important as “atrocities against women” with reference to the recent incident of sexual assault on an innocent medical student; which has already outraged the entire Nation. Police is paid out of tax payers’ money to protect the innocent; while, Delhi Police with its recent action, found to be standing with the assailants. It is very difficult to fathom the need of Delhi Police to resort to strong arm tactics with our young students who were valiantly fighting for a noble cause who sportingly took the canes and water canons on their body fearlessly that was broadcast live across 24x7 news channels. There can be two possibilities; either, there was an order from the top or Delhi Police simply does not know any other method of ‘Crowd Control’ without applying force. One should advise the Delhi Commissioner of Police to read the book ‘Bullet for Bullet’ written by J.F. Riberio, former Police Commissioner of Mumbai. The recent incidents and events in Delhi have not only sullied the image of Delhi Police; but, have put a question mark on the quality and the leadership ability of its top cops who hail from prestigious Indian Police Services. Either they should be sent home or they should be sent back to the school to start afresh.