When public property is destroyed

Political parties are responsible for the mentality that public property is something to be destroyed when there is a protest. Every political party is equally to be blamed for that. Without breaking a bus a protest doesn’t seem to be complete. Earlier, cases would be charged for this and many years later would be let out. The feeling that these actions would go unpunished has encouraged these parties to continue with these destruction during protests.

Political leaders from a young age learn to destroy public property. When laws became strict such activities have gone down. However, with each passing year the number of hartals has not come down.

Though there is a High Court order that hartal must not be announced without given prior notice. But many do not follow it. The PFI’s surprise hartal on September 23 also did not follow this court order. Widespread violence took place during that hartal. Following that the HC took suo motto case against it. The court also ordered a compensation of Rs.5.20 crores to be recovered from PFI.

However, the government did not show any enthusiasm to implement the court order and thus no action was taken. This angered the court. The division bench has ordered the Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department to appear in person and give an affidavit on when the proceedings will begin for the recovery.

The court has ordered that revenue recovery must finish by January 31, as per court order. The compensation amount must be recovered from the accused in the cases. If the money is recovered from them, then the next time people who prepare for violence will have a rethinking. Many who think about the consequences will refrain from violence. Otherwise, the party itself must give assurance that it will pay for the compensation. However, that is not possible.

In that way, the protesters will think of new ways of protests without resorting to violence. Public property is not the asset of the ruling party. It belongs to every citizen. This civic consciousness is not taught to children as part of the syllabus. The tendency to destroy public property will stop only when their own property is lost as a consequence. Therefore, there is little chance that court will show leniency in this.

The Revenue Department is assigned to initiate the recovery process. If they are reluctant to do the recovery, then they can pay the compensation from their pockets. The public must get compensation of Rs.5.20 crores. If those who are responsible to recover the compensation fails to do so, then it is better to charge the amount from them.