The political forces that gave a call for anti-CAA protest have claimed that they took this cause for ‘peaceful protests’ to save ‘democratic’, ‘secular’ values. So far, the protests have been largely violent, caused huge damage to public properties, terrorised commoners with the rioters and anti-social elements unleashing violence on the streets. On the other hand, peaceful demonstrations supporting CAA have taken place across the country, which have really stood for the democratic values but were conveniently ignored by the mainstream media, probably as they were truly peaceful.
Protests or Riots?
However much some people want to describe the protests as the fight for ‘idea of India’, ‘symbol of dissent’ etc, they have lost any moral credibility the moment they justified riots. Let’s see these instances and ask ourselves, are these protesters standing for India? Do they have any regard for the law and the Constitution?
Delhi- Bombs hurled, school buses targeted
The rioters have not even spared school buses in Delhi’s Seelampur.
In Seelampur today, 2 buses attacked by mob. The yellow one is a school bus. Eyewitness says on record we were marching against #CAA peacefully when some masked men started the violence. pic.twitter.com/XM6Hc9O3Nf
— Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) December 17, 2019
The protestors want you to believe that these rioters with petrol bombs in their hand will save democracy and police should keep quiet!
The video was made by one Hassan on his mobile phone. He was also involved in stone pelting. He has been arrested and mobile phone has been seized.
Injured Patrol bomber has been identified as Rahish. He was admitted in GTB Hospital and now has been arrested in this case. https://t.co/JTZxOYijKq
— Raj Shekhar Jha (@rajshekharTOI) December 20, 2019
West Bengal- rioters targeting the Railways
The rioters are particularly targeting Railways in West Bengal and terrorising common people. Since the Chief Minister herself initially announced anti-CAA protests and reportedly argued that destruction of few rails should not result in the cancellation of services, the rioters are naturally emboldened.
As this report notes, in Beldanga in Murshidabad district, a mob torched the station master’s cabin and ransacked the ticket counter before setting it on fire. In Howrah district, an angry mob barged into the Uluberia station and vandalised its premises as also some trains. A driver and a railway official were injured by stones pelted by the protesters.
Anti-CAB protest turns violent in #Bengal. In Murshidabad stones pelted on an ambulance. Beldanga station vandalised by protesters. Muslim organisations had given protest call across the state after Friday prayers today pic.twitter.com/bdDyAIwEAc
— Indrojit | ইন্দ্রজিৎ (@iindrojit) December 13, 2019
Gujarat- rioters represent the stone age, not democracy
The most disturbing visuals have come from Ahmedabad where the mob dragged a policeman- who is not even confronting them – assaulted him with stones and sticks mercilessly. This makes anyone wonder whether the Police have no human rights.
Crowd attacking cops in Ahmedabad during #CAAProtests pic.twitter.com/Ge8xXOctbJ
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) December 19, 2019
Pic credit- PTI/India Today
Pic credit: Times of India
Uttar Pradesh – Saving the ‘Idea of India’ by burning it?
This is what the mob who claimed to be anti-CAA protestors have done to the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Thus, the conclusions are not really hard to arrive at. The mob on the streets are not the representatives of democratic values or any noble idea of India. Even some youth who were hailed as face of the protests were later found to be extremely radicalised in their thoughts which are plainly anti-democratic and anything but secular.
