Was Gyanu Told To Lie Low Until Protests Subside?

Brrrrr… Winter is coming but Gen Z isn’t not cooling down!

“You are not Gen Z,” Delhi High Court reminded the photogenic, hyper-articulate poster boys of the Cockroach Janta Party, co-conveners Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. At 31 and 27, both the men are well past the Gen Z cut-off date. But, what the hell…their lawyer, Abhik Chimni, quickly retorted, ‘’They are an inspiration.’’ Touché.

Earlier, the court said, “The two petitioners here are at the forefront. When you go and break a barricade, the chances of 10 or 20 or more people violating the Section 163 (related to prohibitory orders) are very bright.” The argument went on to say, “We have seen it happen outside our country. Students’ protests have now gone into arson, looting and burning.”

At around the exact time, breaking news across global television channels, was capturing scenes of utter mayhem and wanton destruction of public and private property across France. Jaws dropped as protesters ransacked luxury stores and ran out carrying priceless merchandise. Not sure whether the masked, hooded people indulging in the looting were students worried about the state of education in France. From this distance they resembled common thugs taking advantage of general unrest to steal and plunder at will.

So far in India, cockroaches and other insects have not ransacked shopping malls and standalone luxury stores in and around Delhi. The protesters one sees battling police brutality at protest sites, resemble bonafide students and young activists demanding basic rights.

Foreign political analysts are strenuously trying to link youth protests taking place across the world — in particular, those taking place in France and India. Fox News Digital, which suffers from the poorest media credibility, claims to have uncovered links between the riots in France and youth protests in India. Asra Nomani, senior editor at Fox, insists she has identified 101 organisations across nine countries that are co-ordinating these protests which are “linked in the same eco-system”.’ Global chaos, according to her, is being unleashed by these “red-green” groups (that’s a not-so-subtle code for Communist-Islamist). Too far-fetched? Who knows. French President Emmanuel Macron has called such allegations “stupid” — a direct jibe at Donald Trump. However, it looks like Macron’s head could soon be on the chopper block, as world leaders watch aghast while emboldened looters torch cars, go on a rampage and desecrate everything and anything they can. Nothing and no heritage building is being spared, including the Louvre. By far the most horrifying destruction of public wealth/legacy so far has been the arson at the Town Hall in Limoges, an ornate 19th century neo-Renaissance building which had survived two world wars. Masked mobs set fire to the historic site as the fire ravaged the building’s clock tower.

“What kind of a country are we living in?” asked a shocked resident. It was termed a “heritage catastrophe”. The mobs had overpowered the local police force with ease and used a battering ram to break down the main door.

Such a premeditated attack requires careful planning and prior knowledge of depleted police strength. The same worry is applicable to our heritage sites across India. France is being brought to its wobbly knees by well-organised mobs determined to create maximum destruction and panic. The police force is outnumbered and outsmarted by the marauders. Makes one wonder: What real options does Macron have to combat mass rage? One sincerely hopes India never has to face such an ordeal. Our young protesters are questioning a warped political system, demanding a better education and asking for the resignation of one man — Gyanesh Kumar, who heads the Election Commission of India (ECI). These are legitimate demands. Waving the tiranga is certainly not a call to arms. Unfortunately, so far, the Centre has mishandled the entire protest by underestimating the fiery passion of idealistic, young protesters, unwilling to settle for the myriad compromises made by their parents and grandparents. The youngsters want transparency from their elected representatives. These protesters are not hooligans running riot. Their agenda is well defined. You may disagree with their methods but the intentions seem to be honourable. Then comes the crucial question of who’s fuelling and funding desi protesters? Frankly, I am clueless. There are reports and rumours galore about “foreign agencies” pouring money into the personal bank accounts of the leaders. Given the logistics involved… flights, for one, such questions are necessary and inevitable. One chhota question: If Gyanu has nothing to hide, why was he not advised to hold a press conference and clear doubts? That’s what a democracy encourages. It is obligatory for public servants to respond to concerns raised by citizens. After all, these officials wield almost unlimited power over our lives. I’m assuming Gyanu has been told to stay chhup and under the radar… Till the cockroaches tire and crawl back into their natural habitat.

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In Mumbai, the horrific Tiger Shroff shooting has once again raised the question of just how powerful and omnipresent the underworld continues to be in Bollywood. We now know poor Tiger was not the original target. The shooters (clumsy and appallingly inept) were after bigger fish. They quickly zeroed in on Tiger — a soft target — because he did not have bodyguards! Does this mean our cops aren’t doing their job of protecting citizens — even high-profile ones like Tiger Shroff? Are private security guards the only shield against hired guns? Tiger Shroff miraculously survived bullets and the shooters have been nabbed. But, guess what? The D-Gang must be having the last laugh seeing how unprofessionally the Bishnoi gang bungled up this public assassination of a Bollywood bachcha.

With Diwali round the corner, the diyas and dhamakas in Bollywood are definitely dimmer this year. Those dazzling, high stakes all night taash parties and glittering red carpet events, are being hastily rejigged by the usual suspects. Who wants unexpected mehmaans on mobikes crashing the party and creating their own fireworks??