The March Is Cancelled. The Government Has Won
The government did not defeat the September 5 march with barricades, batons or mass arrests. It did something far more effective: it made the march unnecessary. That is why the cancellation of the proposed march by Saurav Das and his colleagues is not merely a tactical withdrawal. Politically, it is a clear victory for the government — and a defeat for those who had promised to take the fight to the streets. Saurav Das wanted a confrontation at India Gate. The government took the battle to the Supreme Court. That was the turning point. Once the issue reached the Supreme Court, the grand political theatre surrounding the proposed march was reduced to three rather unglamorous words: law and order. The question was no longer who could mobilise the bigger crowd or produce the louder slogan. It was whether the protesters could hold the march at a particular place and whether they were prepared to abide by the law. The answer came today. The march has been withdrawn. That is the scoreboard. ...
