Page 14 - The Indian EYE 071522

OP-ED JULY 08, 2022 | The Indian Eye 14

Cops vs cops, Twitter vs Govt and Unity

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

he confrontation between Ch-
hattisgarh and UP police is just
Tas dangerous and ridiculous as
all such face-offs. Some are arguing
that unlike the Punjab police’s at-
tempted arrest of BJP leader Tajinder
Bagga that was foiled by Haryana and
Delhi police, the Chhattisgarh police
had a magistrate’s warrant to arrest
a TV journalist – the offence in ques-
tion being the airing of a ‘misleading’
video of Rahul Gandhi. But just as in
Bagga’s case, the visiting police team
hadn’t informed counterparts in the
destination state. Not surprisingly, and
in a repeat of past actions by BJP state
governments, another Congress-ruled
state, Rajasthan, has also booked the
journalist.
The real trouble is of course ex-
treme politicization of policing. Mul-
tiple FIRs are lodged in states over
causes dear to the party that runs the
government and accused persons get
“lucky” only if they happen to live in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga speaks to the media at his residence, Janakpuri, in New Delhi on Saturday.
a state governed by a rival party. The Tajinder Bagga reached his residence after being produced before Duty Metropolitan Magistrate in Gurugram. (ANI Photo)
TV journalist had a BJP-governed
state police’s backing, but Jignesh
Mewani in Gujarat didn’t have that The Twitter War High Court, MEITY only provided played a major role in deepening the
the order to him and his lawyers. An-
popular negativity against diversity.
when the Assam police came calling. he most recent disclosures in other instance is when Sushant Singh, Homogeneity is native to religiosity.
Neither did pharmacy student Nikh- the last week of June revealed an actor, author and presenter, was Consequently, every religious com-
il Bhamre or Marathi actor Ketaki Tthat Twitter withheld a number blocked without any order being munity is inherently intolerant of
Citale when the Maharashtra police, of accounts and tweets in India. Many served on him. He had to approach dissent. When religion and politics
then “loyal” to MVA, jailed them for
“anti-Sharad Pawar” tweets. of these belonged to politicians, jour- the Bombay High Court for redress. become a potent mix, the popular
nalists, activists and even a global think In all these instances — there may attitude to ‘unity in diversity’ gets
That police forces should get so
brazenly busy doing the petty bid- tank such as Freedom House. We have be many more — a blocking order is stigmatized. This sullies secularism
ding of their political masters and witnessed similar situations in Febru- not only confidential but also made too. Today, secularism has been dis-
in secret.
enfranchised.
ary and April 2021, when takedown
that this should lead to regular con- orders were reportedly issued for The pity of it is that this threat
frontations may be considered par content about the farmers’ protests -- Apar Gupta, The Indian Express to a secular democracy is not being
for the course by our politicians but and criticism of the Union govern- addressed with intellectual rigor. The
at least the Supreme Court should ment’s response to the second wave of The Unity Issue ‘why’ and ‘wherefore’ of the change
not remain indifferent. The Criminal Covid-19, respectively. From a citizens’ he jading of ‘unity in diversity’ being engineered are not articulated.
Procedure Code isn’t specific enough rights perspective, however, the need must be read together with the Consider an aspect of this issue. The
on inter-state arrests and SC must is- to rely on a voluntary mechanism is a Tactivation of the masses. Unity hallmark of the homogeneity-orient-
sue binding guidelines. Except when
nabbing terrorists, out-of-state police cause for concern. It is also unsustain- is deceptive in relation to the mass. ed rhetoric is intensity. It is this that
able as it may eventually come under Individuals who comprise it are di- lends irresistible rhetorical vehe-
teams must possess arrest warrants threat. verse. But they cease to be so in being mence to the speeches of the prime
from the jurisdictional magistrate, Another persisting infirmity has constituted into a mass. A significant minister. It would be interesting to
inform the local police, and secure been the failure to provide a prior feature of our times is that public sen- reckon how Narendra Modi would
transit remand from the local magis- show-cause notice and opportunity timents too are being mass-ified. As sound if he were to advocate ‘unity
trate. SC should also note that multi- to the actual users whose web con- a result, nonconformity to dominant in diversity’ in the prevailing climate.
ple FIRs for the same cause of action tent is blocked. Take the case of Ta- views and versions is deemed offen-
continue despite the court terming -- Valson Thampu, The Telegraph
sive. This makes it easy to criminalize
it an “abuse of process”. That SC nul Thakur, a journalist who in his dissent. Almost everyone feels uneasy (India)
free time made a satire website to
seemed to veer from its own path in
the Nupur Sharma hearings doesn’t parody the social evil of dowry. His about dissenters. Dissenters them- Every week, we look at what the top
selves do. This tells us a lot about the
website was blocked without any no-
change the argument. commentators in the Indian media are
tice provided to him and the block- demoralization besetting the Opposi- talking about and bring to you a slice
-- Editorial, ing order itself was never provided. tion parties today. of their opinions and comments
The Times of India Even after approaching the Delhi The invocation of religion has

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