Last week I wrote about the tourist who callously threw garbage into our sacred river Cauvery. The response was overwhelming. Thank you dear readers, for the support, messages and responses. Many of you felt exactly the way I did – the pain of watching our rivers, roads and beautiful landscape being desecrated.
This week, I want to raise another uncomfortable issue that may not please everyone, but I believe it needs to be asked.
Let me put some perspective in why we should be concerned.
- In 2020, the Farmers protest resulted in a daily loss of ₹ 3,500 Cr (source ASSOCHAM)
- In the 1980s, the Private Sector lost on average 505,000 working days per year, with the public sector recording half of that.
- There are strikes and protests everywhere the most recent being the youth-led “cockroach” movement. The latest and significant disturbance was fuelled by persistently high youth unemployment and recurring leaks of examination papers that threatened to derail the careers of millions of students, at a time when stability was the need of the hour.
On a much more diminished scale, Kodagu seems to be finding a new reason to protest almost everyday. Reasons – poor infrastructure (especially roads), elephant menace, inaction by the district administration, perceived inappropriate decisions, community disharmony….. some are also very frivolous. On occasion the grievances may be genuine but increasingly, “taking to the road” has become the easiest route to make the government listen. Maybe it’s effectiveness is beginning to wear thin with relatively disproportionate economic downsides to the public at large.
Therefore, the uncomfortable question – When does the right to protest begin to infringe upon the rights to everyone else? Kodagu needs to protest- but it also needs discipline in the manner of protest. Amidst the slogans, political gatherings, cultural assertions and road blockades, one cannot help asking are we really solving our problems or are we simply creating new ones for the common man?
There are many other powerful forms of protests through public hearings, petitions, delegations, peaceful demonstrators at government offices, symbolic protests, social campaigns and legal action.
Why should an entire town be punished because a department failed to do its duty?
From road blockades to disruption of business, has public space become a stage for political indulgence and indiscipline?
Political parties and organizations appear to be competing with one another to mobilise crowds, raise slogans and demonstrate their strength. But amidst all this noise, there is one question we must ask: is anything really getting solved? Or are we momentarily creating more chaos while the original problems remain – with (strangely) no follow-up action to achieve a conclusion to the problem?
Not so hilarious is another uncomfortable truth – How many people participating in these protests actually know what they are protesting about? How many have actually understood the issue? How many know the facts?
The dire need of the hour is:
- citizens who speak with conviction, without silencing everyone else.
- leaders who mobilise people without paralysing public life.
- an administration that listens before people are forced onto the roads.
- And we need a system where a citizen does not have to block the road to prove that his or her problem exists.
Imagine an ordinary morning in Kodagu.
- Students on the way to school.
- Workers rushing to their plantations/business.
- Farmers taking produce to the market.
- Patience rushing to hospital.
Suddenly their road is blocked. They may have absolutely nothing to do with the issue yet they are made to pay for it with their time, fuel, money, patience and sometimes even their safety.
Why should the common citizen suffer for the failure of the administration and thoughtless action by a few vested interests?
Protests cannot become the permanent substitute for governance or lack of it. If the same issues keep returning followed by another protest, further memorandum, followed by another assurance…. then something is fundamentally wrong.
Why should the road – the lifeline of thousands become the mock battlefield every time?
A summary of our discussions at the news desk suggested interesting outcomes.
- what do our political leaders and their team really think of the job they are doing?
- Is it possible for the district administration and the dynamic leaders to share their annual work plan and priorities with the public?
- We assume that legislators’ primary responsibility is to keep their constituents happy. But what if they don’t agree with that assumption? After all they do have their ubiquitous “high command”!
THE POSSIBLE SOLUTION
From the grass roots level, hold a periodic (say quarterly) meeting from the Panchayat/Block Level upwards where progress against a pre-determined annual plan is openly discussed. After all they are answerable as “Public Servants” for the posts they occupy and in the money that they have been trusted to spend on our behalf. There should be nothing more satisfying than to hear accolades of a job well done.
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Absolutely spot on. Protests are a right in a democracy, but it’s misused too often. And when it infringes on the right of others to go about their way and conduct their business, it is an absolute no-no. A previous Deputy Commissioner once told me that the problem with people in Coorg with genuine problems is that they do not communicate with the district administration at all. The ones who did approach him are usually political or vested interests. Maybe, Coorgs should come out of their shell and start communicating. A memorandum submitted by a few town or community people/leaders would probably go a long way to solving problems. Protests by their very nature are antagonistic to authority. It should be only be a last resort, when all else fails.
Protest is an essential democratic right, but when it repeatedly blocks roads and disrupts public life, we must ask where rights begin to infringe upon the rights of others.
Grievances are genuine, but increasingly, taking to the road appears to have become the way to demand attention.
As rightly said, we need citizens and leaders who speak with conviction, an administration that listens, and above all, a system where protests are not the only way to be heard.
The one major take away from this bold and hard hitting article is the practical suggestion at the end of Mamatha Subbaiah’s article:
THE POSSIBLE SOLUTION
From the grass roots level, hold a periodic (say quarterly) meeting from the Panchayat/Block Level upwards where progress against a pre-determined annual plan is openly discussed. After all they are answerable as “Public Servants” for the posts they occupy and in the money that they have been trusted to spend on our behalf. There should be nothing more satisfying than to hear accolades of a job well done.
Unless the people at large act on this suggestion, there will neither be accountability or conclusion to any protest. It is an open fact that most protests One-Day that are undertaken for a day are momentarily undertaken as a show strength. The so-called “Bandh” that is called for especially in Karnataka at a whim are forgotten the day after it is undertaken, causing immeasurable inconvenience to everyone without exception.
This is a sad reality of Kodagu. Endless protests, political showmanship, road blockades and the growing in convenience faced by a common man. My sincere appreciation to the author. Kodagu needs voices that makes us think. Please keep writing.
Normal cause of actions gets no response… hence citizens are forced to get the attention of the administration. This seems to be the only way that evokes a response. If the concerned dept responded to an issue via the normal channels these kind of protests would not have taken place.
Thank you, Ms. Mamatha, for sharing this deeply thought-provoking piece. Your reflection captures a critical balance—respecting democratic rights while fiercely protecting civic duty, local heritage, and public order.
The right to assemble for a protest is a cornerstone of democracy, especially when genuine grievances face official apathy. However, exercising this right should never paralyze the daily lives of citizens who bear no responsibility for the conflict.
Reflecting on the recent protests in Kodagu, three urgent concerns stand out:
Disrespect to Heritage: Why co-opt the memorial of a world-renowned military icon Field Marshal K M Cariappa/General Thimmaiah for political optics. This displays a painful disregard for Kodagu’s legacy.
Questionable Authenticity: Very few demonstrators resembled the local farmers who actually work on Kodagu soil. Was this a genuine grassroots movement or a staged spectacle by mobilized outsiders?
Administrative Failure: Why was a vital arterial highway allowed to halt? Safeguarding the right to demonstrate should never mean licensing the blockade of critical transit routes.
The Path Forward:
Transparent Governance & Action
We currently have three leaders from Kodagu closely associated with the Chief Minister of Karnataka. They must step on the accelerator to address the ground reality. Given that Kodagu is one of the smallest districts on the map of India, effective governance and responsive action should be entirely manageable.
Safeguarding the Public Interests and well- being:
The goal is not to silence citizen voices, but to demand that activism builds solutions rather than holding public life hostage. A better Kodagu requires a non-negotiable, three-part commitment:
– Accountability: Authorities must deliver on public commitments.
– Responsibility: Demonstrators must respect civic spaces and fellow citizens.
– Vigilance: The community must hold both leaders and activists to the same high standard.
The Proposed Solution in the article seems a good robust plan that has been tested in many parts of the world.
Thanks you for your comprehensive reply – clearly the matter has touched you deeply which has prompted this response.
An uncomfortable question, but an important one. A protest may bring attention to an issue, but its success should ultimately be measured by whether the issue gets resolved—not by the size of the crowd or the length of the road blockade. At the same time, the administration must ensure that citizens are not driven to the streets simply because normal channels have failed them. Regular public accountability meetings, clear timelines and visible follow-up could change the culture from “protest and assurance” to “discussion, action and results.” A very relevant article for Kodagu.
The leaders and aggrieved/concerned protesters should just target and meet at the office of the bureaucrat who has the authority to solve (or escalate) the issue at hand. Jointly, follow up visits to the office to a plan. This would have a dual effect: to pinpoint and embarrass the sluggish officer who can solve the problem but won’t, and two, eliminate the unconcerned protesters who infiltrate street protests only to create chaos and inconvenience others
Politics is rife in Coorg, dividing the local population into factions or groups. Consequently “protests” become the order of the day to counter ideological differences, without concern for the inconvenience it causes the public at large.
And then the proverbial problem in this country – to be a hero all you need is to stop projects from being undertaken!
Maybe I shouldn’t bring this matter up, but I will. In a prestigious club in Madikeri, every possible ruse was deployed – anonymous emails, legal injunction (which had to be withdrawn), obfuscation of facts and denial for recourse of problem resolution – every trick in the trade for civilized closure. This is a hundred years plus old Club where sport is meant to be played with a code of conduct based on gentlemanly behaviour. Unfortunately this is the deplorable new order of the day. Secure “control” by any means.
I read the reference to the unfair, ungentlemanly and surreptitious antics deployed to disrupt the operations of the Club at Madikeri. Why do we have to reduce a “sport” to such low levels of conduct?
If there were differences, sit across the table, resolve them through discussions and get “seniors” to intervene. If the intent was to improve the operations of the Club, there are many opportunities to do so and just as a reminder, it has been running for over a hundred years.
Why I am commenting about this is that if this is the norm of educated and so called illustrious people that are the members of the Club – it sets standards for public conduct elsewhere. Wake up and act before it is too late.
You nailed the issue. It is generally the failure of the administration in most cases. Unfortunately the sufferers are the common man. I wish the perpetrators concerned hear you and act appropriately. Your suggestions are practical and easy to implement.
True Mamatha. Innocents pay for the sins committed by someone else. The government too is indifferent to the plight of ordinary citizens. The ministers and bureaucrats live a cushioned life, protected from every inconvenience.
Whatever you have mentioned is very true and disheartening. The real guilty are living in a different world protected from all inconvenience.
God bless you.
The author has courageously touched upon an uncomfortable reality in Kodagu. This is the kind of writing Kodagu needs – honest, fearless and thought – provoking. This is an relevant topic that we all need to reflect on our endless protests really solving problems,or are they simply inconveniencing the common man?
Your appreciation is a great motivation and aligns with what all of us at the CLN News desk want to achieve – the Online platform is there to provide a meaningful “gallery” to share views – even when they are not necessarily what we have presented. At the end of the day, that is what dialogue, debate and discussions are meant to be.
I agree with the central point of the article. Protest is an important democratic right, especially when genuine issues remain unresolved. But repeatedly blocking roads and disrupting ordinary life often makes innocent citizens pay the price for administrative failures.
Perhaps the bigger question is why our system does not listen to soft, constructive and genuine feedback from people. When concerns are repeatedly ignored or there is no meaningful response, people eventually feel they have no option but to take to the streets. The solution should not be to silence protests, but to build a system that listens, responds and acts before frustration reaches that stage.
Thank you for being the first off the block Mr Harish and for endorsing what I have written:
The solution should not be to silence protests, but to build a system that listens, responds and acts before frustration reaches that stage.