How to get the government's attention?

Petrol pump owners held the city hostage claiming that the government wasn't entertaining their demands. With a million issues crying for attention, just what does it take to get the govt to listen to you? Speak Up explores some methodologies

We would not have put our customers through the grind had we not exhausted all the other options open to us. Last time we went on strike, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora intervened and promised to look into the matter. We called off the strike in good faith but nothing has happened since. Going on strike is always the last option. It is resorted to when deliberations and delegations fail."    Ravi Shinde, President, Petrol Pump Owners' Association

Have a redressal mechanism in place

Strikes might help draw government's attention to the problem, but at what cost? What about the person who had to loose his one-day's wage for no fault of his. Will the striking party or the government reimburse?

The best thing will be to have a proper redressal mechanism in place. This will stop the need to bring the issue to government's attention. The issue will be solved in accordance with the law and will be impartial.

When it is the government who is the second party, the best way will be to move the court of law and file a writ. Even legislations found against the interest of people can be quashed by the judiciary, providing an amicable solution.  Jamshed Mistry. Senior lawyer

Human chain then, Gandhigiri now

There are several ways to get government attention and create people awareness. We formed a human chain from Linking Road to Andheri station after the Mumbai train blasts.

The aim was to stir the government into immediate action. Youth for Equality launched a music video. A theme song sung by Roop Kumar Rathod and anchored by Ashoke Pandit. They supported the cause. Celebrities too make a difference and influence public opinion.

We led a candle march protesting reservations. Our latest protest was inspired by Lage Raho Munnabhai. There was a 'Get well soon, Arjun Singh' campaign where we wished him recovery in front of the media. This also gained a lot of attention. BBC also covered it. Akshay Baheti. Member of Youth for Equality

Persistence drives home your point

We have always believed in non-violent methods of protest. Initially, the most effective is the hunger strike, but some events always stick out.

The Gujarat government had employed Lintas, an advertising agency, to advertise the benefits of the Sardar Sarovar dam. This was a five crore project. Alyque Padamsee was then heading the agency.

We started a campaign in which at least 10 people would connect with another ten people and so on and call up Lintas or send them material proving the shortcomings of constructing the dam. We pleaded that you might as well use the money for rehabilitation instead of advertising.

The campaign gained so much momentum that for two and a half days Lintas could not get any work done because all they did was attend calls and collect material. Finally, Padamsee refused the project and the then CM Chimanbai Patel was questioned as to why he had given the project to an advertising agency in Mumbai. Pervin Jehangir. Supporter, Narmada Bachao Andolan

Violent methods have secured justice

It's based on the basic Marxist ideology that whenever there is large scale social change, the State is bound to protect the interests of the ruling class, even if it has to resort to violence.

In such a scenario, naxalites are the ones who protect the interests of the working class, for which they have to resort to aggression. Their use of arms has been successful and they have managed to secure justice for the working class. For example, they have managed to secure higher wages for tribals who made a living out of collecting tendu leaves.

Typically, movements backed by Naxals have always started as mass movements. Even in Bastar, the tribals were fed up with a local police officer and when all else failed, took up arms. Violent naxalite activity occurs when all other options have been exhausted.

Often, it is a reaction to violence perpetrated by the state mechanism. Ordinary tribals are shot in the fields and passed off as Naxals. Such acts of arbitrariness act as stimuli for violent naxalite activity.

Naxalites are an important force in the social fabric and their role will become even more critical in the future as locals get affected by developmental projects and industrialisation.  Soma Sen. Civil Liberties Activist, Nagpur