The exodus of north easterners from Bangalore is only a symptom of the breakdown of law and order in the country and the loss of credibility in the government’s ability to govern. This is, of course, not the first situation of its type. But what is disturbing is that the southern states, which were traditionally free from communal hysteria, seem to be catching up with the north. There are enough laws to round up rowdy elements. Still you find many private armies functioning in various states as parallel governments and laying down the law for citizens. Their leaders are no doubt taken to the court where they can get bail easily. They are affluent and legal expenses do not matter even as they know that the judgement may not be forthcoming in their life time. The funniest part is that the government provides security to these so-called leaders of the lumpen elements of society so that they can carry on with their anti-social and anti-national activities to create problems for authorities. The least the government can do is to withdraw security arrangements in such cases.
A Seshan, Mumbai
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