Outdated modes of protest must change

There is an unwritten law in Kerala that says that everyone should silently accept, without any protests, hartal announced by any organization. It is certain that any citizen who takes his vehicle or travels outside will be physically attacked by the protesters. It is a common sight to see protesters forcibly shutting shops and even blocking government offices during a hartal. Yesterday’s hartal, called by the Popular Front of India (PFI), also witnessed violent attacks.

The government, as usual, had released a statement saying that attacks will be dealt with and the protesters will not be allowed to block normal life. However, the incidents during yesterday’s hartal demonstrate that the protesters did not give a hoot to the government’s statement. Though incidents like these are normal for Kerala, the fact is that blocking normal life during hartal is really a bad fate for the state.

Raids and arrests took place in fourteen other states too, however, there were no hartal there or any untoward incidents. What happens in Kerala during a hartal is really appalling and anti-human.

Let’s think about how many KSRTC buses were damaged in the hartal yesterday. It must be remembered that these attacks against KSRTC buses come at a time when the transport corporation is facing a deep financial crisis. The financial loss due to this is huge for a corporation that finds it hard even to pay salaries to its employees. The cost of losing one work day for KSRTC is very high considering its present situation.

More than that, the plight of commuters who use KSRTC buses to travel is even more miserable.

The protesters destroyed many small shops. People who traveled by own vehicles or rented vehicles were also attacked. Those who announced the hartal must not harm the citizens in the name of protesting against the Central Government. Yesterday, violence took place in areas where the police presence was low.

As hartal is a protest method used by all the political parties in Kerala, no one is ready to come forward and denounce this practice. That is why hartal is announced frequently in defiance of the High Court’s order.