While all media focus seems to be converging on the Assam capital, cities and towns there and other pockets of the NE, the 37-plus km foot march where the participants comprised more than 1000 students of RGU and NERIST will stand out as an outstanding example of delivering protests by adhering purely to democratic means. CAB has been forcefully metamorphosed into CAA despite the ever expanding hullabaloo which has spilled over from the NE swathes to touch the entire nation. Extreme dislike is the mood which is taking multiple routes of expression and it’s obvious that roving eyes will now be engaged to ‘discover’ the ‘faults’ in these protests. Violence will be most easy to pick that would also make easy to hurl reprimands by those who believe and preach that the act will be nothing negative for the region, its people or for the whole country. Initial days of protests in the most turbulent state now, which is Assam for sure, sadly took violent turns which gave the pro-CAA narrative a shot in the arm. This is no doubt enough for the sanctity of the movement and its legitimate intentions to get overlapped by those which are seemingly unlawful, so far as general perception goes. Smoke of burning tyres, showering of brickbats towards men in uniform and such sorts are elements which only weaken a movement by creating a negative sentiment. In that respect, democratic ways of protest are something that automatically draw reverence, just as shown by the Friday long march initiated and spontaneously participated by the state’s students against an act which is proving itself outrageously deceptive and unacceptable.  
When Arunachal of Friday was an exemplary reminder for all protest-linked stakeholders, developments in Assam shown that there will now be efforts to make sure that no fingers can be raised. AASU, who has been spearheading protests have decided to call off all protest activities after 5 pm for next seven days, with the singular objective of making it more democratic and disciplined that would contain no elements of force. This has received appreciation since it would now make sure to a good extent that hooligan elements whose sole intentions are nothing but to resort to arson and destroy public property are not allowed to get hold of this movement and popular support continues flowing. The same holds good for similar movements irrespective of region and states. 
The fact of the matter, specific to the case is, political class has failed to read people’s mind or has legitimately done so for furthering their own goals. The movement can hardly be contained by force now. Also, it would be always welcomed if it remains essentially democratic all throughout. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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