Get priorities right

Tamil Nadu police showed urgency in evicting peaceful pro-Jallikattu protesters from Marina Beach

The Tamil Nadu police showed urgency in evicting peaceful pro-Jallikattu protesters from the Marina Beach, presumably because the state wanted to secure the iconic landscape for Republic Day celebrations. The state also might not have wanted any issue or event to overshadow the celebrations. The use of force for dispersing the protesters underlined the state’s capability to assert its power in the face of a popular uprising.

The Republic Day is an apt occasion for us to ask whether “Republicanism” has taken root in our country and whether our citizenship is in practice bolstered by constitutionally guaranteed rights. We must contemplate why poverty still exists in the country and why “the annihilation of caste” dreamt of by B R Ambedkar remains a dream.

As for the Republic Day celebrations, the eye-catching floats depicting India’s cultural diversity are a visual treat. Aesthetic displays by our artistes are a delight to watch.

But the parade of the tableaux of tanks, warplanes, missiles and submarines that demonstrates the country’s military might and gives us a sense of national pride does not seem to be indispensable. Most of the displayed replicas of the arms and ammunition are of foreign-make; they unwittingly advertise articles of warfare and alert hostile powers to arm themselves more. This underlines the need to get our priorities right.

The money saved from reducing military expenditure can be spent on mitigating poverty and empowering people to realise their potential.

The land of the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi should be able to do without the ritual of military march pasts. It is our commitment to non-violence and peace that alone can confer on us the moral authority among the comity of nations.

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