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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a...

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a familiar script where an allegedly unassuming public figure embraces personal sacrifice and a reluctant government buckles under mounting moral pressure. But history does not repeat itself on command. Anna Hazare’s fast in 2011 succeeded not because fasting possesses mystical political powers, but because it rode a tidal wave of public anger against corruption. Millions identified with the cause. That equation is conspicuously absent today. The platform that ought to have belonged to students who suffered from the NEET paper leak, or to parents whose children bore its consequences, instead became crowded with the usual constellation of professional activists, ideological campaigners and political fellow travellers. The faces dominating the stage were not those most directly affected by the scandal. A movement demanding educational accountability gradually came to look like another gathering of Delhi’s permanently aggrieved activist class. Even Wangchuk appeared to sense the contradiction. During the protest he reportedly lamented that while he was observing an indefinite fast, many around him were happily eating meals, urging at least a token one-day fast in solidarity. Successful protest movements depend upon authenticity. Once the public begins suspecting that an individual is being deployed less as a leader than as a moral accessory for someone else’s ideological project, sympathy quickly evaporates. Nor does Wangchuk arrive without controversy. Questions have been raised over the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, the educational organisation associated with him, and over allegations regarding subsequent foreign funding arrangements. Critics have also challenged aspects of the carefully cultivated public mythology surrounding his achievements, from the origins of the ice-stupa concept to the popular belief that he inspired the protagonist of 3 Idiots. These matters deserve scrutiny on their own merits rather than hagiography or character assassination. The greater failure here surely belongs to the protest’s organisers. The CJP has mistaken optics for momentum and symbolism for public sentiment. Instead of allowing the victims of the NEET scandal to speak for themselves, they attempted to manufacture another national conscience by placing a familiar face at the centre of the stage. Political legitimacy cannot be outsourced to celebrity. Nor can mass movements be assembled from social-media influencers and habitual protesters. Anna Hazare became powerful because the public chose him. Attempts to manufacture his successor merely underline how rare such moments really are.

SC warns contempt action if NCR states fail to implement complete curb on crackers

  • PTI
  • May 6, 2025
  • 3 min read


New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana to ensure a "scrupulous" ban on firecrackers in areas falling under the NCR region and warned any failure would attract contempt.


A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the governments to issue a direction under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) imposing a complete ban on manufacture, sale and storage, including online delivery, on all types of firecrackers in the areas which fall under the NCR region.


Not only the orders of this court but directions issued under Section 5 of the EPA must be strictly implemented through all the law enforcement machinery of the states, it added.


Section 5 of the Act states the Central Government may, in exercise of its powers, issue directions to any officer or any authority to regulate environmental pollution.


The top court said the state governments should ensure "scrupulous implementation" of the ban on firecrackers and create a machinery for effectively implementing the prohibition.


"We also make it clear that in case of any failure on the part of the officials of these governments and other entities to implement the directions issued by the court, action under Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 may be taken. All states forming part of NCR to file comprehensive compliance affidavit. We also direct the state governments to give wide publicity to the ban and the penalty imposed under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act," it said.


The Supreme Court on April 3 refused to relax the ban imposed on the manufacture, storage and sale on firecrackers in Delhi-NCR noting that air pollution levels remained alarming for a considerable time.


A large section of the population worked on streets and was the worst affected by pollution, it said, and not everybody can afford an air purifier in their home or place of work to fight pollution.


Unless the court was satisfied that the pollution due to the "so-called" green crackers was bare minimum, there was no question of reconsidering the previous orders, it added.


The bench further said restricting the ban on firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region just around Diwali would be meaningless, as it could be purchased and stored in advance.


The top court in December, 2024, directed the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to impose a complete ban on firecrackers until further orders.


The court then noted the Delhi government enforced a complete ban on the manufacture, storage and sale, including delivery of firecrackers through online marketing round the year with immediate effect.


The bench underlined the efficacy of the ban only "when other states forming part of the NCR region" imposed such measures.


"Even the state of Rajasthan has imposed a similar ban in that part of State of Rajasthan which falls in NCR regions. For the time being we direct the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to impose a similar ban which is imposed by the state of Delhi," it said.


The concern over high pollution levels in Delhi during Diwali prompted the apex court to make observations against violation of its orders, pointing out they were "hardly implemented".


The apex court was hearing a plea filed by M C Mehta in 1985 seeking directions to curb air pollution in the national capital and adjoining areas.

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