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The ‘Cockroaches’ are spreading fast, as is their wont. Multiple forms of protests across cities are burgeoning. For now Dipke avers that he would not enter active politics and rather have ‘pressure groups’ to raise critical social, academic, political issues and make the government bend. Their recent success has emboldened them, even as the means adopted are questionable.There are reprehensible videos of youngsters threatening police officials of stripping them of their uniforms and mocking the Army.
The PM’s attempts to reach out to the young through Instagram reels has only drawn scorn and seen as patronising.
However, keeping the politics and controversy aside for the moment, the internal security dimension of these protests needs to be considered. lndia does have its faultlines and grapples with a host of issues which affect internal security…cross-border infiltration, illegal immigrants, drug trafficking, caste/communal divide, a largely disaffected minority population, unemployment, festering terrorism in J&K, reduced but not fully eliminated naxalism, foreign funding of NGOs with dubious antecedents, inter-state water wars, terrorist sleeper cells in various cities and of course constant attempts by Pak towards subversion and sabotage within India.
Add to this the churn of sorts one witnessed in Jantar Mantar (JM). The passage of time has only reinforced that the protests at JM saw goons and anti nationals infiltrate and exploit the opportunity to raise anti India sentiment, invoke Burhan Wani, Umar Khaled, Art. 370 etc. Their tirade against the government took the form of a rant against India. Expectedly, a weak opposition lapped it up and found, through these disgruntled youngsters, another stick to beat the government with.
This brings us to the crux of the issue. If, as avowed, this movement is to continue (‘pressure group’ or political), how and what does it bode for India’s internal security, already riven with myriad problems ?
First, the infiltration issue…this kind of a situation is fertile ground for forces inimical to India to worm their way into the movement to initiate a parallel agenda to destabilise the country under the garb of noble, youth oriented issues. Any countermeasures by the government will be viewed as oppression and highhandedness. Given political fallout, the government will be forced to tread cautiously, even as it would be fully cognizant of the evil designs.
Next is the aspect of communal and caste divide, always a sensitive and delicate issue. While so far the Cockroaches have claimed higher moral ground by portraying their movement as beyond caste, communal and partisan considerations, it will not take long before this unsavoury element of our polity and society rears its ugly head and further polarises an already fragmented people. The attendant issue of caste based reservation etc, may add fuel to fire. This would form a perfect cauldron to stoke communal/caste based fires, or even riots, which could take huge political, social and administrative capital to douse – if they ever can be.
For external powers which probably
are clandestinely backing these protests, in India’s troubled and misguided youth, they have found a perfect conduit to further their agenda. They are the easiest to subvert and ‘convert’. Many Western powers, notably USA (using George Soros’ funding, as they do), would only be too happy to see the last of Modi and a resurgent India. Protests like these and the pressure they bring to bear on a powerful, but increasingly embattled government, would perfectly suit their agenda. They may even go a step further to fuel internal turmoil and anti government crusades to widen the cracks in our already fragile polity. And what better than a ‘homegrown’ movement (which the Cockroach agitation is not) to meet their nefarious aims?!
Further protests and ‘pressure’, as this johnny-come-lately, Dipke threatens, will surely result into a cycle of violence and counter-action by govt agencies. Anti India (as opposed to anti government) rhetoric could reach its crescendo .This, with the help of mainstream and social media, will garner huge support for the Cockroaches, who will always be seen as the oppressed. The young teens and early ‘twentiers’ may be viewed as ‘saviours’ and the government as despotic tyrants. Criminals and goons, propped by the opposition, may spearhead the movement. Our enemies within and without are going to love it. This is a dimension we have to factor in. The Indian republic has ALWAYS had problems of poverty, unemployment, youth angst…why the outburst only now? I leave you to ponder.
To conclude, the design appears sinister and far from altruistic or noble. The country is already grappling with several internal problems. While the solution does not lie in crushing the protests with a hammer blow, a nuanced and balanced approach is required. Deep investigation is called for into the origin and roots of the problem. We cannot add another 0.5 threat to our existing 2.5 threat scenario. While genuine grievances and aspirations of the youth must be expeditiously addressed, the Nation cannot be held hostage to anti social, anti ethical and anti national forces, external and internal, which will do all in their power to stop a growing India in its tracks.
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