Parties should own up to their violent acts in Pune

The bandh called by the Shiv Sena, BJP and MNS on Tuesday caused economic losses, damaged 52 buses and disrupted normal life. As per a high court directive, political parties are to be held liable for the losses caused due to their actions of bandh and riots. Shouldn't political parties be  made to pay for the losses? Speak Up explores.

Public meetings should be held to decide on the punishment
The political parties should be made to pay as per the law. They can’t go on destroying public property for political mileage and expect not to be held responsible for it.

The vandalism at the PMC office and the bandh were uncalled for and were unjustified. The violent behaviour proved how immature our politicians are.

Citizens should put pressure on political parties and hold public meetings to decide on what should be done to curb such nuisance.

The act was shameful. People should condemn such behaviour. Was the issue so significant that the leaders had to react so violently? There are many other important issues that need immediate attention. We pride ourselves for being the largest democracy in the world. Is this democracy? We need individuals who think for society and not people who call for bandhs and disrupt the functioning of society.

We say that the city is cultured. But is this violent reaction cultured? The leaders’ behaviour is intolerable in a democratic society. Even the removal of Dadoji Konddev statue at
midnight was unethical.

Why are we so bothered about history when our concern should be the present and future? It’s the unethical politics that’s creating unhealthy atmosphere. Political leaders play with people’s emotions. Citizens should voice their opinions and send a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated. The should boycott the candidates in elections and make them pay for the losses.

Dr Padmakar Dubhashi, ex-vice chancellor, Goa University

Such leaders should not be allowed to stand for elections
The damages should be recovered from the party or the individuals who were involved in the acts of vandalism.

How can the politicians  destroy public property without having any right to do so?  Politicians are people who work for the city’s development and they themselves are involved in acts of vandalism. People shouldn’t vote for such politicians.

The government shouldn’t allow such people to stand for elections. They are not fit to be a part of the government bodies.

All the parties are violating the law for their personal benefit. A small thing was made into a big issue without proper proof.

People should take notice of such issues and ask the parties to pay for the losses. A high court directive holds political parties responsible for the losses caused due to their actions during bandhs and riots.

People should make use of this to recover the losses. A trivial issue was blown up for private gain. The furniture and computers that the leaders destroyed were bought from people’s money. The people concerned should be held responsible for disrupting the city’s peace.

Ramesh Phondge, RTI activist and former PMC PRO

Political parties should give a public apology for their acts
It is beyond any doubt that the parties responsible have to pay for the damages caused to public property. They should also give a public apology for the losses and inconvenience caused to
people.

A guideline from the Supreme Court says that the political party should be banned i.e they should be disqualified from contesting the elections. Such acts are contempt of court and the parties should be made accountable to people.

The police have the power to prevent such things, but they don’t take any action as they are under political influence.

Girish Deshpande, media spokesperson, Professionals Party of India

Protests should be non-violent and free of vandalism
The political parties which were involved in vandalism and destroyed public property should be held responsible for their acts and should be made to pay for the losses.

These are the very people, whom the citizens have elected and they should be responsible to the position given to them.

The leaders are politicising a non-issue. There are many other issues that need attention but all the parties are concentrating only on a statue that is lifeless, rather than towards people who are facing problems such as price hike and women’s security among others.

Jijabai was a strong woman, who brought up her child single handedly. Why is Dadoji Konddev being made into an issue?

People want to stress on the patriarchal system and ignite fights by creating divisions in society on the basis of caste.

The common man is not concerned whether a statue is there or is being removed; all he is worried about are his daily problems, which are being ignored.

People have a short memory and would soon forget about the statue as there are other important things in their lives.

There is a rule that if a party calls for a bandh, then they have to pay for the damage. This rule does not apply here as things are different here.

Everyone has a right to protest in our democratic country but the protest should be non-violent and there should be no vandalism.

Rama Sarode, human rights activist and advocate

Parties are legally responsible to pay for the damages
The high court order is that the person or the organisation creating such problems should be made to pay for the damages.

Anybody who is responsible for vandalising public property should pay for the losses. The parties are legally responsible to pay for the damages.

Nandu Phadke, lawyer

Pressurising people to observe bandh is unethical
It is illegal to call for bandhs. The political parties should not be spared even if some people feel that they were right in their way of protest.

They should be penalised without a second thought. Vandalising property and pressurising citizens to observe bandh is unethical.

The people responsible should be prosecuted. The opposition parties along with the ruling parties and the PMC have behaved irresponsibly. Where was the need or the urgency to carry out a night operation? When it was known that there would be consequences, how could the ruling party pressurise the administrative body to carry out such an operation?

All the parties need to be blamed without doubt. They threatened citizens to support the bandh. This is dictatorship. A democratic society doesn’t function in this way.

People’s interest and not that of the leaders should be of prime importance. The harmony in society, the peace of mind and public property, everything was destroyed. People suffered losses while parties benefited. By making the leaders pay for the destruction, people can at least recover the materialistic losses.

Major General (retd) SCN Jatar

BJP-Sena has caused problems for the Marathi manoos
The parties and individuals involved in such unwanted acts of destruction should be penalised. The high court’s directive states that  the parties responsible for vandalism are to be punished.

The PMPML should document this and submit it to the court so that some action is taken against such people. If this is done, then such incidences might not take place again.

The PMPML is a soft target. Whenever something happens, buses are burnt and destroyed. The state government should take special measures to protect this department.

The Pune Municipal Corporation elections will be held in the next two years and parties involved in such acts should be asked for
answers for causing inconvenience to people.

The BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS, who are always concerned about the pride and convenience of Marathi manoos have acted against their ideology and have caused problems to him by calling for the bandh.

If the PMPML doesn’t take any action, then the NGOs should do something. The PMPML suffers under financial problems and the parties responsible should pay for the losses.

Ranjit Gadgil, programme director, Parisar