When state wants to wither away

Imagine some Left wing group violently targeted some rich suburbs of Delhi, selectively killing civilians and security personal. Civil society began to debate the causes of this violence. Some saw it purely as a law and order problem, others saw its origins in the lack of inclusive growth, while others still saw it as a bit of both. Meanwhile, instead of crafting a clear strategy to deal with the unconscionable, but still preventable violence of the Left wing groups, the state told the residents of these suburbs: we will not defend you. We will orchestrate the creation of a private army amongst you. We will arm you. And you have free rein to take whatever steps necessary. Again civil society was in two minds. Some saw this as clear abdication by the state of its core sovereign function: providing security to every citizen. Others still, succumbed to the self-fulfilling argument from necessity and supported the state’s open encouragement of vigilantism.

But as arms began to flow to this vigilante army, the violence increased rather than diminished. What should have been a contest between small unacceptable groups and the state has turned into a full-fledged local civil war. The open encouragement of violence began to empower the worst elements in society and give free rein to all kinds of atrocities. Instead of being a force for defence, this private army unleashed a murderous spree of its own. In the name of self-defence against Left wing groups, this army began to indiscriminately target neighbouring suburbs, evicting people and ruining their property.

Unspeakable atrocities were committed against women and children. In the ensuing violence thousands of people were evicted and herded into camps, ostensibly for their own safety. In the complete vacuum of authority created by the state, the militarisation of society increased at a gallop, with children being inducted into these private armies. The scenes that started emerging looked like they were the stereotypical images of a small country in the midst of a brutal civil war: children armed for combat, the displacement of tens of thousands of people and a general brutalisation of society. But the political class seemed more oblivious to this. It defended this brutal private army as a spontaneous uprising, justified the decimation of whole ways of life in the name of combating Left wing violence. All this in order to throw a cloak over the state’s near complete abdication of its responsibilities.

... contd.

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