Remember that moment in Lage Raho Munnabhai, when Circuit and Munna are behind the bars and Circuit asks Munna in sheer bewilderment--Bhai, tujhe pucca lagta hai ki roz roz jail jaane se apna reputation badhega?’ (Bro, are you sure that ending up in jail like this every day will help our reputation?). This is a crucial juncture in the film, where the protagonists, new converts to Gandhigiri find that it is rather hard to continue with their ideals and pursuit of setting things right.
I will be honest, it is a question that has crossed my mind at times. Should people like me and organisations like Greenpeace, who have a set of beliefs, principles and a vision for India different from that of the government, continue to forge ahead? Are the principles we stand for worth pursuing? Even at the cost of being offloaded, harassed or possibly shut down?
If I were to hazard a guess, I would say many civil society organisations might also be asking themselves this question every now and then. It has been a little over a year since Rajnath Singh and his government unleashed a full fledged witch hunt against civil society groups in India. Allegations were thrown around thick and fast, laws were interpreted in the most creative ways to make things difficult for NGOs and many groups, Greenpeace included, are still reeling under the effects.
As these events have unfolded, I have often thought of groups who work for people’s rights, for conservation projects, for making sure governments and corporations are held accountable for the decisions that they make. And I often wonder what keeps us going? Why don’t we just give up, shut shop and toe the line? No more court cases, no more debates on television where we have to prove our ‘innocence’ and probably no niggling conscience either!
But then I think of things that civil society in India has achieved--from women’s and minorities’ rights to relief efforts in crisis situations. From important landmarks like right to information to right to food, there are examples in every field where people and groups have come together to ask for rights and justice.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said on the occasion of Democracy Day
"Civil society is the oxygen of democracy. Civil society acts as a catalyst for social progress and economic growth. It plays a critical role in keeping Government accountable, and helps represent the diverse interests of the population, including its most vulnerable groups."
This, and a belief in the Indian constitution is what keeps people like me and organisations like Greenpeace going. This and Munna’s advice of course: full confidence mein jaane ka aur ek dum vinamrata se baat karne ka (Go in with full confidence and say with utmost respect): You can’t muzzle dissent in a democracy!
Stand up for free speech on this Democracy Day!
Priya Pillai is a Campaigner with Greenpeace India.