The violence in Delhi where eleven people have died – a policeman and eight civilians – in clashes between pro and anti Citizenship Act Amendment supporters and also rioting, calls for an immediate resolution to the issue that has dragged on for far too long already. The entire CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) has to be looked at calmly and objectively, before the violence escalates further and leads to the loss of more lives. The nine deaths may have occurred in just a part of Delhi, but the violence and protests surrounding the CAA-NRC-NPR have not been restricted to just the national capital. There have been protests in other places, and this needs to end.
News reports from Delhi said parts of the city had turned into a battlefield ‘with frenzied protesters torching houses, shops, vehicles and a petrol pump, and hurling stones’. It led to the firing of teargas shells, lathi-charges and flag marches, and it all occurred on the day United States President Donald Trump landed in Delhi, after visiting Ahmedabad and Agra. It continued on the next day too, though by late evening some normalcy had returned. The timing of the violence led to allegations that it had been orchestrated to derive mileage due to the US President’s visit. If it indeed was ‘orchestrated’ then it is condemnable. But that is no excuse. At this moment it is not important who is responsible, it is maintaining the peace that has to be the priority of the government.
Once law and order has been restored in Delhi, then the government can begin investigations into who started the violence and how it went out of hand. It is also important to ensure that in future there will be no repetitions of such violence and rioting. The fact that the policeman who died had gunshot wounds raises several questions and needs to be further probed as to who fired the bullets. These clashes were not merely with the aid of sticks and stones, but gun shots were fired. This is even more serious and whoever fired the shots has to be brought to book.
In a democracy, people have the right to protest, but they do not have the right to turn violent. The violence is disturbing, and no matter who is involved – whether it be those who are for the amendment or those who are against the changes – it has to be condemned. There should be no place for violence in protests, that can always be peaceful. The most peaceful of protests also send out a strong message, and that is what the world learnt from Mahatma Gandhi. There has to be restraint shown by those in the movements. The violence will take the cause they are fighting no further, but can derail it. Dialogue in an atmosphere of peace can also yield results.
The disturbances over the CAA have been on for over two months now, having started with the passing of the Bill in Parliament in December last year. The protests erupted in universities in Delhi and in other parts of the country, but have now spread, but Delhi still remains the focal point of the anti-CAA movement, leading to supporters of the CAA having their own meetings, resulting in clashes. This has gone on for far too long and needs to be stopped so that the government can focus on other matters that have remained unattended. Due to the continuous protests, the discourse in the country has shifted from development and the failing economy to other matters. The economy has to be brought back on the rails and CAA-NRC-NPR can be shelved till then, for a more examined decision.
