Rallies in Kerala

Since last 4-5 days quite a few Rallies have been happening in Trivandrum . People in Trivandrum might ask –‘So what is new about it? Everyday many Dharanaas and Protest march happen in Trivandrum – especially in front of Secretariat’. Well the Rallies I am Not talking about are not the usual Protest march and Dharanaas – though there is some reason  and focus behind these rallies they are everyday headache and trouble for people in Trivandrum, especially for those who have to use MG road stretch (West fort to Palayam) –

I am talking about the rallies held in the name of  celebrating so many years of Assemblies of God Church, or in the Name of Nair Mahasabha, or South India Church of God  and all of them happening on the same road Museum road (which has major traffic flow with 5 traffic signals between PMG junction to Vellyambalam/Keltron junction around 1.5 to  max 2km stretch. What happens in these rallies s nothing much – but multitude of people walking together with big banners or flags blocking the whole road (both sides) creating major traffic block and discomfort to general public. It is not that they display floats or any other form of display where they show the onlookers what they have achieved in past and what they want to do in future, it is mere show of power – Show that their numbers are growing and when they are in crowd (which is usually not managed) they can create havoc in Aam Admi’s (General public) life without any provocation. 

The Other day we were stuck in one of the ‘Power Show’ Rally . We just had to cross the road we waited patiently for 5 mins , by that time there were quite a few cars lined up, being the first car we requested few people who had worn the organizers T shirts that its matter of 30-60 secs to allow vehicles to cross the road and hold the rally at the crossing junction. They told us to wait till the Rally gets over , we tried to reason out again – saying all we want is to cross the road and 30 secs break in between the rally at the junction will do no harm … some of them started abusing us, there were police officers and traffic police too in these main junctions but nobody wanted to control or try to make things easier for the stuck up people… after almost 10 mins of wait I got out , Anil started his car and I started walking in front of the moving car ignoring lots of abuses, our children little surprised and little scared of what was happening around , and then a police officer helping us and many other vehicle cross the road …  I am not sure what the Organizers and people who participated in the rally were trying to prove by blocking many others on the road , but I and many others struck up people had and have nothing good to see about the Organization (irrespective of Christian, Muslim or Hindu) who planned the rally ….

Am not sure why  Rallies are allowed on the Main roads of cities ! Why cant people have the rallies n places where the traffic and normal daily activities wont go haywire ... Why do we think thtat by causing trouble to others , we will be taken more seriously ......We do need rallies and protest march to get attention of the authorities, to show that the people, the citizens of the state/country are united and share same feelings, view point about policies/inaction/injustice/corruption any public cause for that matter, but the rallies which I got to witness in last few days was more to show our ‘Separatists’ feeling. How proud and powerful we feel being part of a crowded and with no particular goal rallies of the ‘community’ we belong to …..  - it is not for the society or general public interest in large , its about the community we belong to that matters more these days – Its not about my village, my city, my state or my country … Its about my caste, my privileges, my community, my religion  ……

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