RIGHT TO DISSENT
The right to dissent is one of the most important rights guaranteed by our Constitution. As long as a person does not break the law or encourage strife, he/she has a right to differ from every other citizen and those in power and propagate what he believes is his belief.
This nation wide protest in opposition of the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill proved to be a unique turning point in the History of India's Democracy. The dispute that BJP representatives and politicians tried to create with their conflicting statements did not work. It rather held the country together in this revolution of togetherness which was created in the name of CAB protests and the next thing you know is the entire nation was on streets to safeguard the pillars of it's constitution.
It was extremely heartbreaking to witness students and minors from Jamia Milia Islamia University being attacked by goons openly on streets and police just stood there doing nothing. But there was no stopping the public. Students, including those from elite universities, management schools and the Indian Institutes of Technology, came out in support of the protests and against the CAB. The message was loud and clear: discrimination would not be tolerated and the right to protest peacefully in democratic India was sacrosanct. The attempts by the government to portray the protests as being politically motivated was a huge flop. Inspired by the spirit of the youth, the middle and upper classes joined the protests in all the major cities, shouting slogans and holding placards that spoke of communal amity. For many, this was a new experience but an important means to convey their displeasure with the government. Lawyers, teachers, other professionals, students, homemakers, all joined in. being there witnessing the entire nation together in this fight to protect our democracy was a refreshing experience.
