If people had strength then these guys won't be sitting on top of us...

By KP Sasi*
Sometimes, I would prefer to be bitterly frank. These days, I feel that people get what they deserve. You have a Prime Minister whose credentials in Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat violence and many other issues are well established. You have a Home Minister whose credentials are also well established.
So, why are they there on top of us? There are only two answers for this question. The first one is that those who are aware do not speak out. It could be because of fear or it could be because of their selfish reasons.
We have around a couple of dozen crores of middle class population. They are still waiting to see what is there for them. Among this population, a small minority is also living with pretensions of radical and critical minds. What have they been doing so far?
Therefore, either we will have to come to a conclusion that "people do not have strength" or that "people would get what they deserve". If people had strength then these guys won't be sitting on top of us. And if the critical minds could perform united actions without fear, then also we would not have faced this situation.
I remember a similar situation which affected me deeply three or four decades back. The post-Emergency situation in India saw a large number of youth and students' groups extremely active in criticising Emergency. But during Emergency, most of them did not have the guts to do so.
Lifting of emergency was a liberation for many. For those who kept quiet in fear as well those who fought. So, between 1977 to 1980, I would call it as a period of renaissance in India. People came out with radical literature, paintings, films and many creative and political works. Those who keep mum today are waiting for a period of renaissance, so that they can express themselves without hurting themselves. The post-1980 period was not very healthy for many. The groups started splintering.
The political opposition called Janata Dal comprising of many diverse sections of different ideologies also fell apart. Many youngsters could not take the transformation from liberation to nothingness. Some became mad, some became religious, some committed suicide, some went to make money and some went in search of comfortable jobs where they could keep mum again.
While this process was happening, one of my friends who used to draw political poster with me in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also was psychologically affected. Some people felt that he became mad. But he did one of the sanest things at that time. He put up poster in front of the JNU library which said: "You Middle Class Buffoons, Come Out Of Your Cocoons!"

It was the sanest thing to say at that time. After four decades, at this point of time, I am eager to meet this friend. I still remember the visual he drew on the poster. These are the situations where I feel that the notions of sanity and insanity should be placed upside down. We may survive as free citizens if we start doing that.
---
* Film director and cartoonist from Bengaluru

Comments

Telangana government urged to stop 'unconstitutional' relocation of Chenchu tribes

By A Representative The Nallamalla forests are witnessing a renewed surge of indigenous resistance as the Chenchu adivasis , a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), have formally launched the Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF) on the eve of World Earth Day to combat what they describe as unlawful and forced relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve .

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

Cracks in Gujarat model? Surat’s exodus reveals precarity behind prosperity claims

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The return of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, particularly from Gujarat, was inevitable. Gujarat has long been showcased as the epitome of “infrastructure” and the business-friendly Modi model. Yet, when governments become business-friendly, they require the poor to serve them—while keeping them precarious, unable to stabilize, demand fair wages, or assert their rights. The agenda is clear: workers must remain grateful for whatever crumbs the Seth ji offers.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram* April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

The high price of unemployment: The human cost of the drug crisis in J&K

By Raqif Makhdoomi* Jammu and Kashmir is no longer merely at risk of a drug epidemic ; it is losing the fight. The statistics are staggering, with approximately 13.5 lakh people—nearly 8% of the total population—caught in the grip of substance abuse . In the ranking of Indian Union Territories , Jammu and Kashmir now sits at a grim top. We have officially reached a point where we can no longer speak in hypotheticals about a future crisis. The vocabulary has shifted from "if" to "if not addressed immediately."

Search This Blog