In name of security is social fabric beginning to fray?
Last week a very unfortunate incident took place in Noida when an Indian citizen was labelled a foreigner and denied accommodation in a hotel on account of ‘safety measures’ ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. According to newspaper reports, a Kolkata-based software engineer and his son, a national level skater, were denied accommodation in Noida on the account of being a Bengali.
They were told by the person at the reception that there were police instructions against guests from Bangladesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. The police has subsequently denied passing such ‘extreme’instructions and come up with details of the notifications as a clarification.
However, someone should ask the police, was there a proper briefing of even the beat constables responsible for maintaining law and order at the grassroots about how to implement the detailed instructions of ‘keeping the city safe’ ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. The capital and its neighbouring districts are turned into a virtual cage ahead of the I-Day and Republic Day celebrations.
Roadblocks, ID checks, and heightened police presence are common place during these times. While safety concerns are valid in an era of increased security threats, excessive or ill implemented measures risk turning the region into a “police state” both in appearance and spirit. Unwise implementations, such as targeting people based on their language or region, not only erode civil liberties but also undermine the very security they aim to ensure.
For such alienated citizens cooperating with authorities is least in their thoughts, which could bedetrimental in times of genuine crisis. No wonder given such draconian instructions under implementation several thousand residents of the Delhi and national capital region make a beeline to neighbouring tourist destinations. One realises that movement within NCR during these two celebrations is not easy.
On a more serious note, can those ruling the country allow the capital and its neighbouring districts turn, as mentioned earlier, into a police state not just in word but in spirit too? The incidents like one took place in Noida tears into the cultural and language diversity of our nation.
India’s strength lies in its diversity—its ability to embrace multiple languages, customs, and traditions. When individuals from one part of the country are treated as outsiders in another, the spirit of federal unity weakens. This kind of casual ‘excommunication’ is especially harmful when it originates from or is justified by state apparatus, as it signals that prejudice is institutionally acceptable.
This prejudice is not just limited to policing on certain stipulated days. It also spreads to other apparatus of the government and from there extends to creeping of corruption into several other welfare majors and schemes. As the grapevine has it the Bangla speaking denizens of the national capital region are off late required pay a greater ‘facilitation charges’ for the renewal of their automobile driving licenses.
The other story doing rounds is that the ration fair price shop vendors too have taken advantage and shooed away the Bengali and also Bihari ration card holders from lifting ration this month. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) under implementation for a period of five years with effect from 1st January, 2024, beneficiaries are allowed to lift free of cost food-grains from any fair price shop in the country under the ONORC-One Nation One Ration Card- initiative.
This initiative in intent is of enormous benefit for migrants, facilitating both intra and inter State portability of entitlements as part of technology based reforms under Digital India. However, the current vigilantism let loose on the illegal Bangladeshi migrants are having its undue repercussions on all the Bengali speaking people in the NCR. Not many months ago, an objection was raised about the ages old fish market of Chittranjan Park being run next to a temple.
On a lighter note, late editor of a newspaper in Delhi had a tumultuous ride when he was nominated to Rajya Sabha by the then ruling party. He then suddenly realised that his name had been deleted from the voter list. On query it was learnt that he fell victim to the drive undertaken to delete names of Bangladeshi migrants.
The scuttlebutt then was that the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are deputed from other departments for the electoral roll work, were given target to delete Bangladeshi migrants from the list. Under pressure to meet target, in their own tardy manner they deleted Bangla sounding names from the list, which meant many an Indians got deleted whereas the Bangladeshis escaped scrutiny.
Sidharth Mishra
Author and president, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice