The wrong way to protest

It is totally unacceptable and against the wishes of the common man that their right to live has been put in peril because of the nationwide protests that took place in India last week, because of the increase in fuel prices (“‘Bharat Bandh: Indian opposition parties call for nationwide protests against record fuel prices”, Gulf News, September 10). Shutting offices, industries, educational institutions, retail shops contributes to the loss of economy and eventually becomes a burden to the ordinary citizens.

A protest, called as a ‘Bandh’(closure), for whatever reasons should never be encouraged. There should be some other means to express the anger. The worst part is that commoners are always the ones suffering in the community with such protests. Politicians do not realise the pinch for the common man and they continue their life as usual with no chaos. This one day’s standstill costs people heavily even if they do not realise it now. Such a movement doesn’t convey any message to the youth, who are our pillars of tomorrow. This expressing of freedom only disrupted, due to the influence of unethical political practices. It is high time judicial norms help the commoners from suffering due to such deplorable actions by political parties.

From Mr Ramachandran Nair

Oman