When Goons Hijack Protests: How Violence Undermines the Voice of Democracy

Dissenting against the government and protesting peacefully is the sign of a healthy democracy. We must not forget that the people currently in power also rose from such protests against the then-current government. It has always been a mystery to me why leaders who were once protesters themselves come to power and end up doing the exact same things that the previous government did against them.

When you are on the streets fighting for your voice to be heard, you promise a different kind of governance; but once you sit in those high offices, the perspective shifts, and the struggle of the other side is suddenly forgotten.

It is 3:30 AM in the morning and I am sitting on the sofa which is adjacent to the balcony gate from which you can see the society garden. Right now, rain is showering and thunder is rumbling continuously. The silence of early morning has created a void that I am trying to fill with words, letting my mind wander through everything that has been happening around us lately.

When Protection Fails: The Hijacking of Dissent

The thing which is bothering me the most is the way goons have been hijacking the protest. On October 10, 2026, India witnessed how students were detained by the police. From a legal point of view, that is okay—the police are doing their duty, and the protesters are doing theirs. But the problem is that many goons were seen in CP sitting in a crowd and targeting protesters.

The sad part is that the police didn’t do anything to detain them. Under BNS Section 163, which doesn’t allow more than four to five people standing or walking together, ordinary people get stopped immediately. Yet all the goons who used iron punches to beat the protesters—and were even beating girls—were not stopped by the police. Even their whole group was left alone and not detained. It really seems like they were supported by the police standing right there.

Another sad part is that the people who took the law into their own hands were all chanting the name of PM Modi and seemed to be right-wing extremists. They take the name of Ram, the Maryada Purushottam who even left his pregnant wife for the sake of Raj Dharma, but here people commit violence while chanting his name.

A prominent group uses the name of Hanuman Ji—Bajrang, the bal-brahmachari who no matter what would never use any kind of force against women and children—yet goons use his name to beat and scold women in public, and the saddest part is that the police did nothing (at that time).

It seems that the police have gotten an instruction to turn a blind eye to these goons who are taking the law into their hands. They want to create an atmosphere of fear and set an example to anyone else thinking of protesting. The problem is that these goons move in mobs and are supported by their masters; they are just pawns who are used as their masters please.

This doesn’t mean that every single citizen of India is against the government. Many people think certain policies are wrong, which is accepted, and they also have their right to dissent. But the major problem is with the goons who are hijacking the protest. And when the police do not take any action against them using any kind of excuse, this weakens the trust of people on government institutions and democracy itself.

Final Note

I know many people are sad and some are happy seeing the visuals of the protest, as some want the Modi government to go and some want him to remain on the seat. But the people who are getting happy today do not understand that this protest is not against the government, and not even against government policies. People are on the streets because they are feeling that the person who is empowered to conduct fair elections in India is not fair at all.

As the rain and thunder continue outside into the deep night, I keep thinking about how dangerous this is. This is a serious concern, and even the people who support the government should be afraid of it, because once the rule of law is bent for one group, it can eventually be broken for anyone.

As Rahat Indori Sahab said rightly:

Agar Khilaf Hain Hone Do Jaan Thodi Hai
Yeh Sab Dhuaan Hai Koi Aasmaan Thodi Hai

Lagegi Aag To Aayenge Ghar Kayi Zad Main
Yahan Pe Sirf Hamara Makaan Thodi Hai

Sab Ka Khoon Hai Shaamil Yahan Ki Mitti Main
Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustaan Thodi Hai

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