Bandhs are successful because of the implicit threat involved in violating them. It is ironic that none of the youth wings of political parties have a view on this regressive method. If political parties indeed have robust youth wings and are not mere unthinking camp followers then they should be having a view on the ongoing tussle between a section of youth groups and the government in power. The reality today is that government jobs are drying up. Many young people have accepted this with rare equanimity and have ventured into entrepreneurship. Tourism is one major avenue for youth employment and many young people are taking to this business quite naturally. But bandhs are anathema to tourism. In fact any kind of uncertainty is bad for tourism and business in general. Shillong has in recent times become a destination of choice for seminars, workshops, trainings et al. The month of May is when the holiday season starts in the rest of the country. People plan their summer holidays much ahead and hill stations are destinations of choice. But a bandh is the biggest bummer for tourism. It takes a lot to sell a tourist destination but only one silly incident like an unscheduled bandh to throw things out of gear. The bandh calling pressure groups obviously have other means of livelihoods other than as entrepreneurs.
The other more important point is that Government has remained a prisoner of these pressure groups and is seen as trying to appease them. When they say ‘jump’ Government says ‘how high.’ Naturally the pressure groups are emboldened to push the envelope as far as they can. All this is happening by riding piggy-back on the media which has become the medium of communication between the Government, the bandh callers and the public. Is this what the media is supposed to be in a democracy? If influx is a problem there are more scientific ways of dealing with the issue and the pressure groups should be part of the solution. They must present a plan of action on how to deal with this pernicious problem but within the broad confines of the Indian Constitution. Holding the government and public to ransom is not the way forward. The Government has to deal firmly with groups that seek to spread xenophobia and extremism and curb the fundamental rights of citizens.
