Daily Answer Writing Challenge-17th August

Q1. Due to a large number of arrears/dues not being paid by private sugar factories over the last  two years, farmer unions in one of the states have called for a mass protest. Farmers turned  out in large numbers on the day of the mass protest, and the protest turned violent in several  places. There were incidents of stone pelting, vehicle burning, and so on. In some areas,  the police were unable to control the violent protesters and were forced to resort to lathi  charges. However, at one of the locations, police used live ammunition, killing four farmers.  This exacerbated the situation because farmers in other areas also used violence to protest  the police action. 

Under pressure from the opposition, one of the state’s ministers stated that farmers did not die  as a result of police firing but that there were some anti-social elements among the protesters  who fired in order to cause unrest in the state. 

Instead of calming the protesters, the Minister’s statement enraged them even more, as some  eyewitnesses testified to news outlets about the deaths being the result of police firing. All  of this reflected negatively on the government, and the police action was heavily criticised  by various sections of the intelligentsia. The public mood has begun to shift in favour of the  farmers who are protesting. 

Since the protesters began blocking all major state highways, crippling the day-to-day routine  of the people of the state, there has been enormous pressure on the government to defuse the  tension, address farmers’ grievances, and take action against the police personnel involved in  firing at the protesters. Furthermore, there is a risk that the situation will spiral out of control  at any time. 

Assume you are the district magistrate in charge of the area where the incident occurred:

a) You have to speak at the press conference. What will you say to the media if they ask you  if people died in the police shooting, as the state minister claims? 

b) What are the ethical issues in this case? 

c) What steps will you take to effectively deal with the post-firing situation?  (250 Words, 20 Marks).

Answer: 

Protests have a legitimate role to play in the functioning of democracy, but agitational aspects of  democracy can create a threat to public safety and end up abrogating fellow citizens’ rights. Such  circumstances make it difficult for administrators to maintain public order while also allowing  for the full expression of constitutionally guaranteed rights. 

Stakeholders: 

•  Sugar Factories 
•  Protesters 
•  Farmers at large 
•  Police 
•  Minister 
•  Government 

a. The media statement would be as follows: 

•  Police officers are instructed to follow the SOP and use minimal force to control the crowd.
•  The recent incident resulted in the loss of life, and in order to do justice, the truth must be  discovered and the guilty must be punished. 
• A special investigation team will be formed to look into the entire incident and determine the exact sequence of events that led to the casualties. 
•  If it is discovered that the farmers died as a result of police firing, action will be taken against  the responsible officers. 
• Farmers should also be assured that if they protest peacefully and without resorting to violence,  the police will not use force.

b. The following are the various ethical issues raised in the preceding case:

•  The farmers have been denied justice. Rather than being addressed, their grievances have been  exacerbated by the deaths of four farmers. 
•  The minister’s statement violates the ethics of care because her attributing farmer killings to  anti-social elements demonstrates a lack of compassion and empathy for the farmers.
•  The possibility of police breaking the SOP and using excessive force to control the farmers.
•  There is a lack of transparency and accountability because the minister’s statement absolved  the police of all responsibility without conducting an investigation. 
•  The rule of law is undermined; citizens’ rights are violated; and taxpayer funds are squandered  as protests turn violent, disrupt public life, and damage public property. 

c. To effectively manage the post-firing situation, I will take the following steps:

• I will ensure that those injured in the protest receive medical attention, and I will assure the  farmers that the administration will assist them in protesting peacefully. This will aid in the  reduction of mistrust between protestors and the administration. 
• A special investigation team will be formed to investigate the entire incident, outlining the  sequence of events with sufficient facts and evidence. 
•  Measures to boost confidence will be implemented or facilitated, such as:

1.  Local politicians or officials pay a visit to the deceased’s family. 
2.  Holding a meeting with farmer leaders to write down their grievances. 
3. Ensuring the provision of critical services to the protest site. 
4.  A statement declaring the administrative assistance available at specific locations must be  made public for ease of access. 
5.  To avoid miscommunication or rumour, a team of officials will be designated who will be in  constant contact with the protesters.  

•  In order to maintain law and order in the area, police will be instructed to keep a close eye  on the situation but not to use force because it could worsen the situation. If necessary, an  additional police force from the neighbouring district may be called. 

My primary responsibility as district magistrate is to maintain law and order in the district.  Additionally, medical and administrative assistance will be provided to protesters, and coordination  with farmer leaders will be maintained in order to keep the protest peaceful until the state  government addresses their grievances and protests are called off.