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By:

Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Street Circus

The NEET-UG paper leak was a genuine grievance. Millions of students who spent years preparing for one of India’s toughest examinations deserved answers, accountability and justice. But what unfolded at Jantar Mantar was no movement for educational reform. It was a spectacle of rage, abuse and performative rebellion that often appeared more interested in viral clips than viable solutions. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which claimed to represent the anger of students, ended up exposing...

Street Circus

The NEET-UG paper leak was a genuine grievance. Millions of students who spent years preparing for one of India’s toughest examinations deserved answers, accountability and justice. But what unfolded at Jantar Mantar was no movement for educational reform. It was a spectacle of rage, abuse and performative rebellion that often appeared more interested in viral clips than viable solutions. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which claimed to represent the anger of students, ended up exposing itself, revealing itself to promote a culture of outrage without responsibility and more troubling, have aspersions cast on its funding sources. Besides the fact that just how many of those gathered were afflicted NEET students, the ugliest part of the protest was the language. Videos from Jantar Mantar showed protesters hurling the most obscene and personal abuses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One can dislike the PM or oppose his policies, reducing political disagreement to filthy personal abuse against an elected Prime Minister is gross cowardice and at the basic level, a sheer failure of basic civic etiquette. No entity cannot claim to be fighting for the dignity of students while abandoning all standards of dignity in public discourse. The irony was impossible to miss. A section of this self-proclaimed progressive generation speaks constantly about equality, feminism, tolerance and justice. Yet the very same voices displayed extraordinary intolerance towards anyone they decided was an enemy. Journalists were targeted, political opponents were dehumanised and anyone carrying a different opinion was casually branded with labels designed to silence rather than debate. Social media has created a dangerous illusion among many young activists that a viral video is a victory, and that shouting louder is the same as achieving something. A few Instagram reels, borrowed revolutionary imagery and slogans can create the appearance of rebellion. But governing a country and reforming institutions and fixing broken systems require far more than theatrical anger. The government, however, cannot escape responsibility either. The crisis was allowed to grow because of delayed communication and inadequate political management. A prompt response, transparent investigation and early intervention could have prevented a limited controversy from becoming a national embarrassment. Instead, the government was forced into damage control, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, a capable minister, became the political casualty. For the citizens, it was a colossal waste of time. After weeks of noise, confrontation and disruption, the students gained little. The examination system remains under scrutiny and larger problems remain unresolved. The only visible outcome is the removal of a minister. A protest that begins with a genuine grievance but ends as a contest of abuse and attention-seeking has not strengthened democracy. It has weakened the very standards it claims to defend.

Ballot Duty

After nearly three years of delay, Maharashtra’s eagerly-awaited civic polls including the key Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are finally here. In Mumbai, the polls will see over 1.03 crore voters deciding the fate of 227 wards. Across Maharashtra, elections for 29 municipal corporations including the Pune (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad (PCMC) civic bodies will be held in a single phase, with results declared the next day. The State Election Commission has even declared the day a public holiday to facilitate voting. Yet a holiday is no excuse for abstention. Civic governance is not a spectator sport but demands active participation.


Municipal elections may lack the drama of parliamentary polls, but they are more consequential for everyday life. Local representatives determine who repairs your potholes, manages water supply, oversees sanitation, or ensures emergency relief during floods. In short, they shape the lived reality of millions. Each ward’s outcome will have immediate and tangible effects on infrastructure, public health, and urban administration. For Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad among other civic bodies, the stakes could scarcely be higher.


This year’s ballots present a novel challenge as in many PMC and PCMC wards, rival candidates share the same surnames. Long-standing local political dynasties, once united under a single banner have now fragmented across multiple parties, leaving voters to discern not a party label, but an individual’s record of service. The familiar name, once a mark of trust, now risks being a source of confusion.


Voters must rise to this challenge. They know which politician mobilises relief during floods and who fights for local infrastructure. Civic elections, in this sense, are a test of the electorate’s acuity. The ballot is a lens through which voters separate legacy from effectiveness, familiarity from genuine contribution.


Yet apathy remains a threat. The long postponement of these polls has bred impatience, and the declaration of a public holiday could inadvertently encourage indifference. For some, it may seem convenient to treat January 15 as a day off, rather than a day to exercise franchise. That would be a mistake as each vote carries weight. Every ward lost to negligence strengthens entrenched interests and weakens accountability.


Maharashtra’s municipal elections offer citizens a rare opportunity to assert control over the daily workings of their cities. These contests are a chance to endorse public service over political lineage and to reward performance over pedigree.


The councils elected this week will influence who governs these spaces, who sets priorities and who allocates resources. For voters, staying home is a dereliction of duty. Participating is an assertion of power. Remember that civic democracy is local, immediate and consequential. Voters must not treat voting day as a day to lounge at home but as the day to claim their voice.


The ballot is your tool. So, wield it wisely by showing up and making your presence felt. Ensure that this election is not merely an event, but a verdict.

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