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Not Acceptable

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It has been seen in recent years that every time there is a students’ agitation, their ‘leaders’ climb up water tanks, telecom towers, even roofs of buildings and threaten to jump. This reflects a peculiar and entitled mindset. Do they think anybody really cares, except for their family members? It is just the fear among college managements, principals, police and officials that it should not happen on their watch. And what is the aggravation that triggers such behaviour? As is happening in Uttarakhand these days, it is often the all-important need to hold student union elections. Instead of arguing their case before the authorities concerned, as well-educated people should do, they indulge in blackmailing tactics. It may be that the college authorities are an incompetent or uncaring lot, but is the cause worth endangering one’s life? Is there so little concern for the sacrifice parents make to provide their offspring the opportunity to acquire a decent education?

It is possible that some among the students may wish to make politics their career, but what kind of leaders will they become when they begin with such irresponsible behaviour? Consider how much it disrupts the functioning of the college or university, which should be focused mostly on studies and related activities. The police and other authorities are forced to leave much more important work, such as fighting crime, maintaining law and order, and ensuring public safety, to persuade such protestors to climb down from their dangerous perches. And consider what such activity costs the public exchequer.

Why is such behaviour allowed without proper consequences? The first response should be to bring the parents of the troublemakers to the spot so they can see for themselves where their hard-earned money is going. Also, the wannabe leaders should be booked under the appropriate sections of the law and the information put into the central databank of the police. So, when they need police verification when applying for jobs, the employers will know exactly who they are dealing with. Since this is quite habitual behaviour, the priors will keep piling up. When they eventually land up in court, as they will, the judge will take all the earlier transgressions into account when delivering the judgement.

Such anti-social activity has come to be considered normal in present day society, just like all the violations of the law seen on the roads. Unless the system strikes back, thing will only get worse, impacting adversely upon more important aspects of life.