Passengers of Democracy Express
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: August 19 2011 -

With a fame of the world’s largest democracy and marching ahead in the race of becoming one of the superpower of the world, the meaning of democracy seems to be losing day by day in India.

As a democratic country the Constitution of India gives its citizen some fundamental rights which are the right to life, right to liberty, right to freedom of expression, right against exploitation, right to follow any religion, right to education, right to equality and right to constitutional remedies. These fundamental rights, provided to the citizen, by the constitution, are the backbone of a democratic country.

However in the country, almost all the fundamental rights are being snatched away from the rightful citizens either by force or by instituting various laws under which one cannot enjoy the fundamental rights as per choice.

The most recent violation of these fundamental rights by the government is the arrest of social activist Anna Hazare and his aides. Even though the government has released Anna Hazare just after putting him in Tihar Jail on seven days judicial remand, Anna Hazare was tough to his stand to boldly ask the government not to give any condition on how his agitation will follow on and denying walking out of the jail unless his demands are met with.

It was scheduled for Anna Hazare and his aides to hold the agitation at JB Park, on which Delhi police arrest him and his aides on charge of breaching peace and tranquility. After series of talks Delhi police asked him to carry on his agitation at Ramlila Maidan where Delhi police cracked down on Ramdev during his agitation against black money.

Also the Delhi police gave him certain conditions on the number of days of the agitation, number of people to be gathered and number of vehicles to be parked there for the purpose.

Well keeping aside this matter, Anna Hazare is only asking the government to amend the draft Lokpal Bill to a more effective version to curb corruption in India. His demand and agitation is being carried out under the purview of democracy and its fundamental rights which gives its citizen the right to freedom of expression and right to constitutional remedies.

Moreover his mode of agitation is completely non-violence. Even the British government honoured this type of agitation during their colonial rule in the country without keeping any conditions. The whole country is uniting in the wake of Anna’s arrest criticizing the UPA government and demanding unconditional release of the social activist.

In this time also, the UPA government will surely concede to the agitation of Anna Hazare due to the pressures from different walks of life ranging from politicians to common man and from film stars to marginal workers.

Meanwhile, unseen from the rest of the country, avoided by the social activist and ignored by both state and central government, Irom Chanu Sharmila has been fasting since the past years completing 11 years in November this year. There were no one to stand and raise voice for Sharmila at the time of his fasting and arrest.

Yes it is true that she had been recognized by various NGOs and even conferred many titles and peace prizes recognizing her sacrifice for the people in demand of repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958.

Only if Sharmila was born somewhere in the Central India, she would not had fasted for this long. Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life would come out joining hand in support of her agitation.

Seeing all these, one can easily assess that people of the country especially in the North East Region are being exploited or denied of their fundamental rights by the government.

If we compare the country with an Express train which promises to provide various facilities for its passengers, the citizen which are its passengers are being denied of the promised facilities giving some reasons or excuses.

One would choose to climb down of the train and look for another mode of transport if it was a matter for train and passenger. Since it is a matter of politics and democracy, there is no other option than waiting for a change or revolution to give the proper meaning of democracy.