- Any disruptions to society’s peaceful existence are bound to cause disharmony as well as a sense of apprehension all around. None of the law-abiding citizens would want to be on the receiving end of any kind of discord, let alone the communal clashes that occur so frequently in the Indian context. The ongoing polarisation of society between the majority and minority communities is also not a new phenomenon. The escalation of communal disturbances requires only a minor kerfuffle, which quickly blows out of proportion due to the sensitivities involved. The collateral damage caused by these communal disturbances is not only the loss of precious lives but also the loss of private and public property.
PC: IFP
- Manipur’s unrest has been simmering for over three months, with thousands of lives and livelihoods lost in the interim. Unfortunately, there are no signs of life returning to normal in Manipur. The most recent communal clashes in Nuh, Haryana, are also upsetting. The communal clashes that began with a religious procession on Monday morning were predicted on social media, with the benefit of hindsight. Triggering videos from absconder MonuManesar and another Bajrang Dal leader BittuBajrangi, along with a few counter-videos, clearly set the stage for a showdown. As if on cue, the unrest spread to neighboring Gurugram too, with violence reaching within a few km of the offices of blue-chip companies.
- As the millennium city and the rest of the state crawl back to normalcy, the Khattar administration must answer why it did little to avert a preventable crisis. As one might expect, the CM blamed the violence on a conspiracy. Now, why did the government fail to stop the conspiracy? There will be no responses here. We are aware of it. Shouldn’t this procession have been canceled because other public gatherings are routinely denied permission? It was, however, permitted to be armed with swords. Worryingly, both sides were stockpiling country-made pistols and other weapons on such a large scale that the Haryana police would look very bad if they remained unaware. And, if they had information, why didn’t the police use it?
PC: Isha Jain
- Of course, the Nuh clashes took place against pre-existing communal tension in the region, over cattle trading. The Haryana police should have taken stern and concerted action against the hate-inciting social media handles, instead of letting these thrive. Indeed, the SC directed the Centre and state governments concerned to ensure that no hate speech or violence took place during planned assemblies and processions by the majority community. But there is an air of impunity to these organizations akin to vigilantism. The state machinery seems to look the other way invariably. Mind you, every riot that overnight grinds business to a halt or worse daunts new investments. And every tear in social harmony in one place hurts nationwide. India cannot afford this. The Union Government should understand and act diligently and judiciously.
