Are we cowards or are we not just scared?

O.J.George

Congress leader M.M.Hassan has observed that people are fearful of hartal, forcing them to remain indoors, resulting in the success of the agitation.

What he said is quite correct, but not in the case of BSP hartal supported by the BJP alone as on Tuesday. Every hartal called by ABCD parties is scary. Shop-keepers down the shutters for fear that their wares would be ransacked. Vehicle owners do not take out the automobiles so that the machines and the man would not be harmed.

Court fiat notwithstanding, party animals can cause havoc to the people, simply because action against them is not easy. For every party is the butt of blame in this regard.

In the case of the ruling party, the people have to be more scared. Just because a person did not buy a door-mat in Alappuzha district, some party workers barged into the house in the dead of night and destroyed house and property and attacked the family members. The head of the family has succumbed to his injuries.

These days, even non-political occurrences are quite unsavoury. Thieves, looters, thugs have their free-for-all. For snatiching a hundred rupee note, they would do anything.

In olden days, a strong gate, thick locks and other protective gears were comfortable for the safety of the house-hold.

Now-a-days attackers come in droves, simply remove the gate per se, take off the door as such, barge in and attack the house-holders at gun or knife-point. Take off everything, no one is bothered.

House-breakers, thugs, looters and killers have their full freedom. Their rights are well protected. Ordinary mortals are a scared lot, Mr Hassan.