The Supreme Court today saved us from having to hear the Ayodhya verdict tomorrow. India's civil society heaved a collective sigh of relief and prepared to get on with life until the next "date" for the verdict. I admire the way the SC handled the situation -- postpone the verdict a day before it is due, next hearing about when the verdict can be delivered two days before the judge delivering the verdict retires, thus paving the way for a lengthy re-trial.
On the other hand, I am completely appalled by the reaction of the Karnataka government.When faced with the possibility of a law and order situation following the verdict, the CM, instead of taking preventive measures by taking lumpen elements into custody and sending out a stern warning to hooligans, decided to ... impose curfew for students of all ages! All public and private schools and colleges were declared shut for two days.
This knee-jerk surrender to the lawless will just strengthen the hands of the lumpen elements of society who are always on the lookout for an excuse to cause trouble.
The *correct* response from a good government would have been to tell parents to send their children to school and take responsibility of their safety, while dealing strongly with potential troublemakers, thus sending a message that society cannot be held to ransom by those who flout the law.
Increasingly, it seems to me that law and order is becoming meaningless in India -- might is what prevails. Why then do we need governments at all, if at the time for governance, they helplessly throw up their hands and lock up the innocent?
well said madam. and true, the govts in general in our country lack political courage. I think it died with sardar patel.
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