Right-wing violence greets AAP at its Kaushambi office

That violence has no place in a democracy is a point no matter how many times it is repeated it will miss certain groups who refuse to respect a difference of opinion or are ready for a healthy debate. In what can be seen as only an intolerant act, 30-40 people attacked the headquarters of AAP in Ghaziabad. The attackers, many of whom belong to a right-wing group called Hindu Raksha Dal, said that they were protesting against AAP leader Prashant Bhushan’s comment that a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide if the Army be deployed in the Valley.
The AAP leader said that his statement was misconstrued and the party has distanced itself from Bhushan’s statement. Lumpen groups — who have a construed a narrow view about Indian culture and claim to protect it — seem to forget that Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees the right for a person to hold and express his/her view — even if it is contrarian to popular perception. Unfortunately, such acts of vigilantism are not a new phenomenon, but are the preferred route of many organisations that are high on chest-thumping empty rhetoric and low on credibility: The Sri Rama Sena’s morale policing of couples on Valentine’s Day in Mangalore in 2009, the ransacking of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune by over 100 protesters from the Sambhaji Brigade of the Maratha Seva Sangh for hurting the sentiments of Maratha people in 2004, the Shiv Sena protesting and banning Rohinton Mistry’s book from the Mumbai University curriculum claiming that it contained derogatory remarks about Maharashtrians in 2010, the examples are many.

There is little doubt that the lack of tough and visible action against mobsters during previous attacks has emboldened fringe groups, like the Hindu Raksha Dal, to act in such a brazen manner. This is evident in the fact that one of the persons behind the attack on Wednesday has been linked to the 2011 attack on Bhushan in his chamber in the Supreme Court. Confident that the long arm of the law will not catch them, they enjoy their 15 minutes of fame. However, there should be no two ways while addressing such lawlessness. No political sanction for such actions can be justified and the attack has been rightly condemned by many parties. Political parties and organisation must realise that gone are the days when such acts could gain them political mileage. Such destruction is only proof that some are still caught in the past. Today, the people want development and accountability. Perhaps it is time to ensure that people or organisations are made to pay for the destruction they cause while protesting in addition to other legal action.