What my friend has spoken at length against bandhs, hartals, demonstrations etc. is totally void of the mark. Perhaps he has not understood either Mahatma Gandhi or the democracy. Gandhiji used non cooperation, strikes, civil disobedience etc. against the British oppression and exploitation of the Indian people totally in a different way. He used these as powerful weapons against the sin and the sinner in a non-violent and peaceful way. In this non-cooperation there was always the deep desire to cooperate with the Britishers in all their honest policies and programmes. The modern agitations, bandhs and strikes are devoid of any such feeling. They are full of hatred, violence, selfishness, opportunism and enmity. The political leaders use the innocent people as convenient tools to serve their own narrow selfish ends. Consider the Chauri-Chaura incidence of Uttar Pradesh that took place in mid-February, 1922. The non cooperation and civil disobedience movement was then in full swing. It was a great national upsurge against the tyranny of the Britishers. This inspired confidence among the people and removed fear from their minds of the British. But when Gandhi found that people were using violence which totally went against his spirit of agitation he abruptly called off the agitation. A violent mob had burnt down a police station and killed 22 policemen there. Have any of your so called leaders even slightest of this moral courage and honesty of purpose? They all are corrupt and hypocrites and have no morals and compunctions. In the name of democracy, freedom of speech and expression, they are just exploiting people and befooling the public at large. Gandhi was a true satyagrahi and Karamyogi. To consider these coercive means as a sign of healthy democratic trends and traditions is sheer foolishness. It is not good at all to politicise every issue and resort to bandhs, strikes and violence. However, aggrieved you may be, you have no right to take to streets and pose a threat to public peace, harmony, order and progress. You have no right to hijack peace, harmony and normal daily life by going on agitations and hartals. It harms all except a few dishonest and disgruntled politicians and their handful stooges. Democracy is neither mobocracy nor licence. It is a fine balance between rights and duties, liberties and responsibilities. My freedom pre-supposes your responsibilities and your liberty my responsibilities. Democracy is wholesome only when there is discipline and a deep sense of responsibility. If demonstrations, agitations, hartals and bandhs become a routine feature, it would turn into anarchy and chaos. Consider the judgement of the Kerala High Court who declared that a call for a bandh and holding of it involves restrictions on the fundamental freedoms of the citizens and no political party had a right to call for a bandh on the pretext that it was part of its fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. The political parties can hold a strikes or hartal but without any threat of violence to enforce it. Later the Supreme Court upheld Kerala High Court's judgement declaring bandhs and hartals as unconstitutional and illegal. This was welcomed by .all sensible people. They know how these are being misused by political parties, trade unions and other political factions. There have been agitations and demonstrations on any pretext. These may be for recognition of a language, renaming of a city or town etc. State-sponsored bandhs and strikes are all the more deplorable and harmful as they entail abdication of government's responsibility to protect life and property of the people.

I am not in favour of curbs and ban on strikes, bandhs, rallies and demonstrations. They serve a great deal of purpose and strengthen democratic system. India is the largest democracy in the world and perhaps the best. It has withstood the tests of all these decades and our democratic institutions have matured enough through the passage of time. The strikes, bandhs etc. are one of its very positive sides. Our democracy is multifaceted, dynamic and ever full of optimism. The whole world is looking at us and wants us to establish new, healthy and vital democratic trends and traditions. Every election our democracy has emerged stronger, more viable, mature and exemplary. Democracy presupposes full freedom of expression to its entire people. The desire to ban demonstrations, bandhs and strikes is beyond my comprehension and appreciation. It would go totally against the spirit of our Constitution which guarantees us freedom of speech and expression. Freedom is the hallmark of democracy and our most precious possession. Any attempt to curb it should be fought tooth and nail. No right thinking person would tolerate such a proposition. Political parties and groups have every right to give vent to their feelings of anger, disappointment, disapproval and displeasure through these. Different parties mean different ideologies, plans, programmes and thoughts. These are the very powerful and democratic means through which they can form public opinion in their favour and win elections. To will the favour of the public and thereby be in the centre of power it is inevitable that they use all these weapons. If a political party is denied access to rallies, bandhs, hartals, etc. then how would it fight for a public cause? In my well considered opinion rallies, processions, propaganda, dharnas, bandhs, hartals, protests, agitations, demonstration etc. are the only means to win the favour of the electorate, to oppose the repressive and unconstitutional measures of the party of power. These are very effective tools to keep the government and the administration on its toes and moving in the right direction. Political parties in opposition are the watchdogs of democracy and these methods are their teeth. Right to differ is the essence of democracy and rallies and demonstrations are the legitimate means of expression of this dissent. It is a fundamental right of political parties and group to oppose and expose wrong decisions, schemes and planning of the government through bandhs, strikes, processions, demonstrations etc. I very well remember what Gandhiji has said in this context. He said "It is the duty of non-cooperator to preach dissatisfaction towards the existing order of things. Non cooperators are but giving disciplined expression to a nation's outraged feelings.” Bandhs and strikes are people's notice to the government that they are not satisfied with the work, plans and policies.