Lately we hear and read about quite a many press statements from various organisations in the state with their set of demands from the higher authorities to be met else they will predict about ‘untoward incidents’ but at the same time shirk responsibility of the forthcoming incidents. These utterances will usually run like; “…..we should not be held responsible for any untoward incidents”.
Almost all our Naga organisation have become so fond of this term that it starts right from as young as student bodies of an institute to the notable as the apex tribal bodies. Over the years such ultimatums have no doubt made the authorities to at least give a patient hearing and at times even the aggrieved party’s demands were met.
However the picture that this practice and the subsequent results paint of our society is quite dismal and all respectable organisations should stop using such tactics to pressurise the authorities. The word untoward itself pertains to things that are unusual or unexpected and usually unpleasant. It in no way should be the proposed course of action of the aggrieved parties because by doing so, it is not an untoward incident but a fully pre-mediated plan of action. Across the globe it is only the terror groups who give threats to governments warning them of severe untoward incidents. It is the terror groups that use such lingo and it is clearly not for any individual or group in a civilised democratic society.
One exception can be when it is from a third party in the form of a mediator or a pressure group that have fair understanding of the underlying currents of the issue between two opposing parties. It can also be a third party who have better understanding of the demands of the aggrieved parties and they lent their voice to induce the authorities to change their policy before such issues turn ugly cautioning the authorities of untoward incidents unless that matter is dealt immediately and wisely.
Legally speaking the groups that issue such statements actually implicates themselves and are liable for prosecution under many sections of the penal code. It indicates the breakdown of law and order especially if all demands can be met by just issuing threats of ‘untoward incidents’ and the authorities of any form relenting to the demands. It reflects a society and its people who still have not understood the essence of the rule of law and it may also be concluded that there is wide gap between the authorities and the people.
As a society that is growing and striving hard to be part of this modern world we do not require such statements to meet our demands. There are many other forms of protests and petitions that can be made without going a few centuries back in time to express our grievances.
