The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Agitations – a cause for concern Law & order

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Saturday, Mar 08, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Agitations – a cause for concern Law & order

Those resorting to blocking roads even at the slightest pretext should realise that they are inconveniencing their fellow citizens for no fault of theirs, writes
V.S. Palaniappan

Any agitation demanding justice or a right cannot be at the cost of innocent people and fellow citizens. “Your freedom ends where the other man’s nose begins” is the adage. Unfortunately, today people resort to agitations, especially blocking of roads, even at the slightest pretext causing inconvenience to scores of people.

Though agitation for the sake of drawing the attention of the powers that be in the event of a prolonged grievance, unresolved problems or an issue that affected scores of people should be viewed sympathetically, those for trivial issues affected a large number or people directly or indirectly.

Even then blocking roads cannot be approved of, says K. Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause.

The police records relating to road-blockades shows that the recent among them were for shifting of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation-run liquor shops, continuous drinking water supply, adequate town bus services and so on.

At first the people should take up the issue with authorities concerned, then make a public announcement regarding the proposed agitation, especially picketing, and only then take recourse to road-blockades.

Going by the recent road-blockade agitations, Mr. Kathirmathiyon says though these lasted for an hour or so, the resultant traffic congestion took more than two to three hours to ease. This affected many people – employees, students, the aged and those needed medical help.

Flash strikes usually affected the innocent people. Mr. Kathirmathiyon says causing inconvenience to others should be dealt with severely.

It will ensure that road blockades never became the order of the day. Letting agitators go scot-free after blocking road, will send wrong signals and encourage others to resort to such agitations. Authorities should make it clear that lapses or failures on the part of officials that led to road-block agitations will be viewed seriously and officials will be held responsible/accountable.

The police officials say that those resorting to blocking of roads should not be allowed to go without facing the law. In the event of regulatory orders remaining in force, cases will be registered against those defying regulatory orders under section 7 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

At times given the nature of the demand and the profile of the agitators, police tend to remove the agitators under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code to prevent commission of an offence.

The police register cases under sections 147 of Indian Penal Code for unlawful assembly, indulging in breach of public peace and tranquillity and 148, if the crowd is possessing weapons. Section 188 for disobeying an order promulgated by a public servant and 341 of Indian Penal Code for wrongful restraint.

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