Farm Protests: Painting Delhi Police As Villain Is Wrong
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
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By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-02-02 16:10:47
About the Author
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
View all posts by this Author
We live in strange times.
When the government, fearing exactly the kind of disturbances that took place, first refused permission to the farmers for holding the tractor rally on Republic Day, it was branded undemocratic for not allowing a peaceful protest. No one thought it fit to question the motives of the farmers to take out the rally on the day when India would celebrate its Republic Day. When the Supreme Court put the onus on the Delhi Police (which comes under the Centre) to decide whether the farmers can take out the rally and they were granted permission, no one hailed the decision.
The farmers broke their promise of a peaceful rally, changed the route decided upon, broke through barricades, fought pitched battles with the security forces, injured policemen and destroyed public and private property. The Delhi Police displayed exemplary restraint and did not once use excessive force or firing to check the mayhem. But what happened? Senior journalist wrongfully accused it of firing to kill farmers. Some opposition leaders questioned why the police allowed the farmers to reach the Red Fort. What should the police have done? Opened fire on the miscreants? Then it would have been accused of genocide.
And now, when the police are beefing up security at the border points, they are being accused of highhandedness and use of excessive restrictions. What should they do? Keep simple barricading and allow the protestors to break them and enter Delhi at will? Or lay out the red carpet for them? If the protestors once again enter Delhi due to lax security and indulge in arson and rioting, the police will once again be questioned why it allowed them to enter in the first place.
This once again proves that for some people, everything the government does will always be wrong. These people are not civil enough to allow credit when and where it is due.
