A Catastrophic Combo

Very soon the students would go from being research scholars to 'jihadis', 'violent communists' and 'anti-nationals'

- Marya Shakil & Narendra Nath Mishra

Time: Sometime in January 2021 Place: A WhatsApp group of friends, largely residents of New Delhi

Mahesh: What is the nation coming to? As if it wasn't enough to block roads and inconvenience people, these farmers now have the audacity to replace the national flag with the Khalistan flag?

Sanjeev: Truly, this is anti-national behaviour at its worst. I do not think anyone should side with them now after what they did at the Red Fort.

Rakesh: I had been supporting the farmers' protest all through, even though I personally faced a lot of inconvenience in travelling every morning on account of them having blocked roads and set up makeshift camps, but this is something else. I am ashamed that I supported them all this while.

Arun: But was it the Khalistan flag at all? The violence, of course, is to be condemned, but I think we must get our facts right before we make these sweeping statements and brand our farmers anti-nationals.

Sooraj: I don't think after what has happened, you should be supporting them at all, Arun. It was absolute anarchy on the streets. They broke through barriers, fought with the police, overturned vehicles and worst of all, delivered a national insult.

Anyone supporting them now needs to look at their own credentials.

Mahesh: It is simple, the farmers have played into the hands of the Opposition. There is no other explanation.

An Uncertain Calm 27 January 2021