What happened during the protest demonstration recently organised by the cockroach  party at Jantar-Mantar in the Indian capital city of New Delhi will forever be seen as a black spot in the democratic history of the country. The manner in which the cockroach members and supporters behaved can not and should not be accepted in a democratic setup. In a vibrant democracy, all have a right to protest. But nobody should be allowed to cross the limits. Unfortunately, cockroach members and supporters not only overstepped the red line but went far beyond it.

                 The most disturbing was the way a section of the cockroach members launched a tirade against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi using dirty and filthy language. Even his late mother was also not spared. The Prime Minister has been elected by millions of Indians. Therefore, his public humiliation will indirectly mean humiliation of millions of countrymen and women who had elected him. The cockroach members seemed to have forgotten this basic fact.

                What also absolutely unacceptable was the manner in which a section of the cockroach men and women targeted the Indian armed forces in filthy and derogatory languages. This made many common citizens to believe that cockroach demonstration was carrying an anti-India agenda possibly with foreign funding. During the cockroach agitation, a number of other unlawful activities had also been recorded. They include violent assault on police men and women on duty. A number of police personnel including officers, both men and ladies, had sustained grievous injuries.

               Of course several cockroach members and activists were injured in the clash. However, the difference was that while police personnel were injured when performing their duties to protect the public properties and infrastructures for which they had a mandate, the cockroach demonstrators sustained injuries while breaking the laws. It may be recalled, the police-cockroach clash occurred when the latter tried to march towards the building of Indian parliament, the symbol and pillar of country’s rich democratic history and tradition, with an intension to storm it. The cockroach demonstrators reportedly had no permission to march to the parliament house.

               Henceforth, the central government should handle this type of unruly agitations and demonstrations with an iron fist. For, this these activities not only tarnish the image of the country in international forums but crate rooms  for anti-India forces stationed outside to presume that world’s largest democracy is a soft nation where they can do all kinds of nefarious acts.

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