Today is a Bharat Bandh (nation-wide strike) called by most of the Opposition parties, to protest against the latest hike in petrol prices in the country. As a form of protest, this is something that has always managed to evade my understanding. Exactly how does inconveniencing the "common man", whose cause is apparently being espoused, in every possible fashion amount to protesting against the government?
Trains have been blocked by people sitting on the tracks, buses have been set on fire or had their windows smashed, taxis and autos won't leave their stands for fear of being damaged, private vehicles have been stopped from going anywhere by crowds, businesses have been forced shut, and daily wage earners have nothing to eat today. Doesn't sound like a very effective protest mechanism to me, unless it aims to weaken the spirit of the "common man".
Last night, my parents were coming back home from the airport in one of the airport shuttle buses. In the darkness, first one stone came flying from the right, and a minute later, another smashed through a window on the left. The driver sped ahead a bit before stopping to make sure every thing was alright. Except a lot of broken glass and a couple of small cuts, everything was actually okay. But is this what the protest has set out to achieve? Victimising people who have nothing to do with the price hike?
And about this price hike. I bought a petrol car less than two weeks ago. The price of the fuel went up by 10% two days later. I am not complaining. Not because I have bucketfuls of money to pour down my fuel tank, but because I understand that it is unreasonable to want subsidised luxury. But also, because I understand that 32% of the cost of petrol in this state, which has a BJP government, is tax levied by the state government. If the BJP has such a big problem with the price of petrol and cares so deeply about how it affects the "common man", then why won't states run by it reduce their own taxes to keep costs down? Hypocrites and opportunists who have no principals, that is how they come across. Nothing new, obviously. Just reinforcement.
Trains have been blocked by people sitting on the tracks, buses have been set on fire or had their windows smashed, taxis and autos won't leave their stands for fear of being damaged, private vehicles have been stopped from going anywhere by crowds, businesses have been forced shut, and daily wage earners have nothing to eat today. Doesn't sound like a very effective protest mechanism to me, unless it aims to weaken the spirit of the "common man".
Last night, my parents were coming back home from the airport in one of the airport shuttle buses. In the darkness, first one stone came flying from the right, and a minute later, another smashed through a window on the left. The driver sped ahead a bit before stopping to make sure every thing was alright. Except a lot of broken glass and a couple of small cuts, everything was actually okay. But is this what the protest has set out to achieve? Victimising people who have nothing to do with the price hike?
And about this price hike. I bought a petrol car less than two weeks ago. The price of the fuel went up by 10% two days later. I am not complaining. Not because I have bucketfuls of money to pour down my fuel tank, but because I understand that it is unreasonable to want subsidised luxury. But also, because I understand that 32% of the cost of petrol in this state, which has a BJP government, is tax levied by the state government. If the BJP has such a big problem with the price of petrol and cares so deeply about how it affects the "common man", then why won't states run by it reduce their own taxes to keep costs down? Hypocrites and opportunists who have no principals, that is how they come across. Nothing new, obviously. Just reinforcement.
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2 comments:
I stumbled by your blog by sheer chance but read through all your posts by choice. Least to say, the post were interesting and some of the comments more some. I particularly liked ' And there were two"..
- Anon
Thanks. Spread the word and come back for more. Of course, I need to write more first.
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