In Face-Off Between Karni Sena And Uttar Pradesh Government, Sena Blinked

It is one thing to protest within the sphere of democratic rights and quite another to indulge in violence and rioting on the streets. While Karni Sena was justified in presenting its case in front of the censor board and courts and to continue its peaceful protests even after the release of the controversial film Padmaavat, it breached moral and constitutional bounds when it resorted to hooliganism and street violence in the name of protests. The ugly spectacle of a school bus being targeted allegedly by Karni Sena activists in Gurugram has left everyone horrified.

The sporadic violence unleashed by Karni Sena in the Hindi-speaking belt has come under severe criticism. Since all of the Hindi belt is presently being ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, political commentators, generally hostile to the BJP, have found it an easy opportunity to target the party and allege its collusion with and sympathy for Karni Sena. Although such violence is not new to India and successive governments have failed to confront lumpenism by different social and political groups, it is no excuse to not act against them. It should be noted here that the Hindi film Jodhaa Akbar hasn’t been released yet in any of the theatres in Rajasthan since its release in February 2008.

One political leader who has once again demonstrated his resolve to maintain law and order at any cost is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In a 20-minute meeting, citing Supreme Court orders, Adityanath, who was approached personally by Karni Sena founder Lokendra Singh Kalvi to stall the release of the controversial film, not only refused to ban the screening but warned the visiting members against taking law into their own hands. Karni Sena had threatened a “janata curfew” in case the state failed to stop the release of the film. Living up to its promise, Uttar Pradesh Police came down heavily on violent protesters in capital Lucknow’s Cinepolis multiplex.

Chief Minister Adityanath has made both his reservations about the film and commitment to upholding Supreme Court orders loud and clear. Whether the reservations, in light of the story line of the film emerging after its release, are justified or not, it shows political maturity and obligation to uphold the rule of law on the part of the Yogi government. It can be argued that unlike other politicians, Adityanath does not need to worry about his “Hindutwavadi” credentials and can afford to be harsh on outfits like Karni Sena, but it will be too simplistic a reading.

Unmindful of the political consequences, the Yogi government has been tough on lawlessness. Whether it was Bhim Sena violence in Saharanpur, stone-pelting Aanganwadi workers on rampage or Samajwadi Party leaders throwing potatoes on the streets in Lucknow, the state police under Adityanath has been both swift and strict in taking action against the miscreants.

Chief Minister Adityanath, who has set upholding the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh as his chief priority, realises that besides organised crime and political patronage to criminals, violence by socio-political pressure groups also poses a grave threat to law and order in the state. Shunning political correctness or electoral considerations, the Yogi government has decided to confront mob rioting and violence with a heavy hand. This is in contrast to the previous state regime, where the Chief Minister’s Office wouldn't hesitate to contact police stations directly and the action taken against mobs depended on the colour of the mobs or the discretion of the Samajwadi Party district president.

Although the Yogi government’s handling of Karni Sena protests might appear like a duty normally expected of a regime, the significance of it lies in the fact that “normal” had long ceased to exist in Uttar Pradesh administration.