Over the past three days, peace-loving people of Kerala have been witnessing barbaric attempts to show off muscle power and threaten them into submission. All sections of people have been tasting the strength of their arms.

When one sees politicians, media persons, merchants, tourists and even doctors getting attacked, they stand dazed, wondering where this God’s Own Country is heading towards.

Following the entry of two young women activists in Sabarimala on Wednesday, the State came to experience hooliganism in its worst form. It is continuing on Friday also though in a less intense manner. It is heard that Sangh Parivar leadership dispersed its meeting yesterday (Friday) after vouching to continue the protest till Sabarimala closes after Makaravilakku.

As an atonement for violation of tradition, purification ceremony was done for one hour. But the point to be noted is that no protest or untoward incidents happened in Sannidhanam after the women’s entry. On Friday also, an unconfirmed report said that a Sri Lankan woman nearing 50 also entered the temple.

Thursday saw a kind of violence that was not seen in recent times. The organisers of the hartal claimed that the hartal was a big success. But the day’s attacks appeared to be a well-scripted one, especially in Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Palakkad.

Usually, media persons are given maximum protection in such circumstances. But this time about 20 media persons were attacked deliberately. This shows that hartal supporters were very much aware that what they were doing are something which people should not see. Party offices also came under attack. These are all dangerous trends and provide the spark to ignite arson in the State.

Cash-strapped KSRTC also had to bear the brunt of hartal. About hundreds of buses got damaged. About hundred buses was damaged and lie in depots. The loss has been estimated to be Rs Three crore.

In connection with the hartal attacks, about 1400 people were arrested. More than 800 cases were filed and 717 people are in preventive custody. Now there are ways to find out the miscreants who unleash violence and take to heels. Justice will be done only when such attackers are punished without any leniency. It is the duty of the police to show party workers - who come out with masked faces and demolish anything and everything on which they can lay their hands on – where their place is.

It is not by indulging in violence that one has to uphold his beliefs. What is going on across the State now doesn’t suit believers. In front of the world, it seems that we are becoming smaller and smaller.