This refers to the editorial, “Remember Rajdharma” (January 26). The conflict and chaos created over the release of Sanjay leela Bhansali’s film, Padmaavat, has once again drawn the people’s attention to the issue of right to freedom. The ransacking and vandalisation of works of art is not new to India. What is surprising is the silence of the Government and the failure of the State authorites to provide protection to the artists and to arrest and punish the offenders, who did not spare even innocent school children, as reported by The Pioneer in its report, “Padmaavat ire doesn’t spare even kids” (January 25).
Democracy cannot afford parallel senas and policing. In your editorial, “Much ado about nothing” (January 25) you have rightly stated that the appropriate place for the goons, who have indulged in violence, is jail. The freedom to protest is taken as freedom to cause harm to both, state and private properties, as has been witnessed in the case of the above film, where people have burnt houses, vehicles and even schools. Allowing such practices undermines the validity of our legal institutions and the people’s choices of democratic freedom. Moreover, they show India in poor light to the world. We must not let this happen.