Mumbai: Former police chiefs urge young protesters to dissent fearlessly and act responsibly

When does regulating a protest become an obstacle to dissent And how can authorities maintain public order without undermining citizensrsquo constitutional rightsFormer Maharashtra Director General of Police Praveen Dixit who has had to balance these competing demands argues that peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy but organisers must also take responsibility for keeping demonstrations lawful and nonviolent Other former senior police officers and an exIPS officer turned lawyer offer their perspectives on the challenges facing young protestersSocial media adds another layerSocial media can mobilise crowds instantly but it can also spread provocative messages and encourage irresponsible behaviour Responsibility therefore extends beyond the streets to the digital space where calls for demonstrations can quickly influence public sentiment and actionPolitical parties and organisations have every right to question the government and raise grievances The identity of the organiser is secondary what matters is whether the protest remains peaceful and lawful At the same time seeking permission and complying with administrative conditions should not overshadow the democratic purpose of peaceful dissentWhere accountability beginsWhen organisers fail to prevent violence attacks or property damage the state must act to protect citizens and public and private property The right to protest cannot become a licence for intimidation or destructionViolations must be dealt with according to law with accountability established through proper investigation rather than indiscriminate blame Organisers cannot evade responsibility by claiming ignorance of unlawful acts or failing to control participants Written undertakings are not mere formalities they must translate into actionDemocracies across the world recognise the right to peaceful protest not violence arson stonepelting or destruction in its name European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have condemned violence associated with public disorder in their respective countries The message is clear freedom to dissent does not confer freedom to destroyDixitrsquos message to young peopleMy advice to young people aspiring to enter public life is simple dissent fearlessly but act responsibly Question authority speak against injustice and demand change but respect the law and the rights of othersLeadership is not about merely gathering crowds or commanding attention on social media It is about persuasion discipline maintaining peace and accepting responsibility for onersquos actionsYoung people must not be discouraged from raising their voices even when organising a protest involves considerable hurdles The challenge is to ensure that the exercise of this democratic right remains peaceful lawful and mindful of the publicrsquos interestsldquoThe strength of a protest lies not in the damage it causes but in the legitimacy of its cause the discipline of its participants and the responsibility of its leadersrdquoAs told to Vinod Kumar MenonlsquoThe right to protest comes with responsibilityrsquoPraveen Dixit former DGP MaharashtraThe right to protest is fundamental to democracy Peaceful demonstrations allow citizens to express dissent question authority and demand change regardless of which party is in power Yet organising a protest today can be challenging with permissions administrative requirements and the need to maintain public order all playing a roleTraditionally organisers have had to seek permission from the local police Conditions may specify the venue expected turnout and measures to maintain peace Organisers are expected to prevent violence arson looting attacks on police personnel and journalists and damage to public or private propertyThese requirements can make mobilisation difficult but they also underline the importance of responsible planning Organisers must provide written undertakings and ensure their actions match their assurances They must walk the talkWhat other former top cops sayJulio Ribeiro former Mumbai police commissionerldquoI am 98 now and all I can say is the young people should behave responsibly without causing any inconvenience to common people and adhering to law of the landrdquoD Sivanandhan former Mumbai police commissioner and Maharashtra DGPldquoGen Z is informed articulate and acutely aware of challenges ranging from climate change and unemployment to rising prices and the disruptive impact of Artificial Intelligence AI I salute young people for raising critical issues such as NEET school infrastructure health hygiene and educationCalling for protests has become more difficult amid legal restrictions administrative hurdles and concerns over law and order Young people must understand that while protest is a democratic right it comes with responsibility Challenge injustice fearlessly but within the law uphold the Constitution and ensure that legitimate causes do not descend into disorderrdquoYP Singh former IPS officer and lawyerldquoThe right to protest is constitutionally guaranteed and should not be stifled by police permissions For peaceful protests in public spaces or public gardens that do not obstruct traffic an intimation to police should suffice Two major problems are political interference and police overzealousness in trying to please political masters which undermine the fundamental right to protest which is the basic doctrine of our Constitutionrdquo