It was Paris a little before last year. Today, it is London. Now what the dickens is common between the two cities of that fabled Tale? Riots and arson on the streets. So what’s the big deal?
For the proud former imperial powers such riots are indeed a mighty blot on their egos. It is quite alright and even natural for the third world and Arab nations to erupt in roadside rage at the drop of a hat but civilised nations that taught mankind ‘table manners, art & fashion’, cannot afford to display such uncouth behaviour. Clearly, all this is so un-English! London simply can’t take it! Of course, vintage westerners have promptly placed the blame on the polluting inflow and influence of immigrants from Asia and Africa who have virtually taken over many European cities in terms of demography, culture and business to the point that west is no longer, er, West. Ironically, this was the same supremacist racist logic invoked by these very imperial powers to plunder their erstwhile colonies, those immigrants’ lands, most of which are still reeling in those legacies of economic and political turmoil. But with a riot of fires to douse within us and in our own national backyard, it is not my intention to fly off to far-off London, which for all I care, can boil or burn.
So, to the individual first. If rioting can be described as an instinctive tendency to run amok, well, it looks like humans of all hues and horizons have a marked tilt towards it. Blame it on the brute majority enjoyed by the five animal senses over the so-called rational sixth sense, but the fact is everyone loves a riot, be he a ‘civilised’ westerner or an ‘untamed’ oriental. The irrepressible itch to lend physical articulation to inner anger cuts across age and gender too. Humans seem to have absolute consensus and conviction that thinking and talking can only take them this far. Once that tipping point is touched, a bone, not one’s own, needs necessarily to be broken to prove a point or get a thing done. Only the fear of an (un)equal and opposite reaction can avoid that possibility in which case it is an object, a flower vase, chair, door or vessel, that goes to pieces along with peace. Domestic violence, that includes spousal warfare, child abuse or ill-treatment of elders, stem from this riotous individual mindset. Really, every householder, with such net practice from very early on, is a potential street rioter!
Now, that surely is a rather dim view of humanity and I can hear murmurs that there is very little evidence on the ground to prove such an accusation. I mean, if humans are prone to break things in their sweep, whatever happened to all the resultant litter? Let me get a bit legal here. I only talked of a tendency. It need not manifest itself on a concurrent basis. For instance, even animals do not all the time behave like, well, animals. They do take rest. But when a provocation arises animals turn real animals. Ditto humans, deemed a higher form of animal thanks to the ability to think and talk. These faculties actually make them better (or worse) animals than animals since an instinctive animal-act also now carries the weight of human intent, conscious or sub-conscious. That’s why when humans hit the hurt is hard. In Bharath’s karmic logic, even thought is action. T’Valluvar talks of verbal violence being harsher than blisters. More proof is available on TV channels wherein anchors routinely cut loose and experts in designer suits explode like hot-air balloons. Prime time is for pitched battles amidst these wild word warriors before whom even roadside rioters will likely pale!
Let’s move to the public domain. Obviously riotous persons make for a riotous public. All it usually takes is a bored bystander or an enraged element to pelt at nothing in particular with a stone. Within moments there will be a barrage of missiles getting hurled at everything in eyesight. Sometimes even a whispered rumour is enough. Mob violence requires just a spark thanks to the aforesaid inflammable tendency of homo sapiens. Leaders’ deaths, strikes, bandhs, rallies and protests are ideal breeding grounds for riots, arson and sundry other forms of fury. Besides public and private property the legitimacy of a cause too gets broken to pieces often. As days pass and frustration, anger and impatience reign high on all sides, the phrase ‘peaceful protest’ is more likely to become a contradiction in terms. Some mischievous character can be trusted to deliver that fateful stone or slipper for a gathering to slip into violent chaos!
If Parli is a forum of people’s reps then a riotous populace is most aptly represented by it. A noisy nation can hear the echoes of its sound democracy here. The daily sessions are constitutionally approved riots with all kinds of ‘stall’warts in full flow. Disruption and obstruction are deemed perfectly honourable. While Parli’s human inhabitants are protected by privilege, there is no such insurance for the assets and accessories of that hallowed house. Mikes are for breaking and benches for banging. You will not recommend Parliamentary language even for your worst enemy’s daughter. And you will start admiring your own ward for polite behaviour. On the morality count, promiscuity and floor-crossing pompously pass as principled postures. Occasionally you can see hard cash being displayed which is taboo outside. In short, it is a rather unusual place where all unusual things happen in broad daylight but with official sanction. But here is the rub: While street rioters do not get paid for rioting and often pay a stiff price, the parasitical Parli rioters are quite well compensated and also extract a hefty price otherwise from us!
The country is teeming with rioters. Now, where do you put them? There are enough streets in India itself that have not seen a riot. Or maybe, Parli can be expanded to accommodate more of them so that during session time, the outside world is a bit riot-free. Enterprising rioters can be exported to say Paris or London where there is now high demand but heavy shortage. Our erstwhile masters may need some extra help if rioting needs to be sustained. But migrating rioters must remember to pack in some torn slippers, stones and sticks as these are unlikely to be littered on the streets of those ‘civilised’ lands. The remaining unemployed rioters can always riot here! Happy rioting!
e-mail the writer at [email protected]