Veteran actor Annu Kapoor defends the right to protest while condemning violence and property damage. He expresses full faith in PM Modi’s leadership and supports the government’s authority to handle civil unrest and potential rebellions.
Annu Kapoor on Democratic Rights and Protests
Veteran actor Annu Kapoor has reacted to the protests against the government and the debate surrounding the authorities’ handling of demonstrators, asserting that while citizens have the constitutional right to protest in a democracy, violence, damage to public property and riots cannot be justified. Expressing confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kapoor said he had complete faith in his leadership and maintained that every government has the right to deal with situations where protests turn violent.
Speaking on the issue, he told ANI, “Yeh bahut hi bachkana vichar hai. Jab sarkar badalna chahte hain ya aam chunav aate hain, toh loktantra mein yeh pravdhan hai ki agar aapko koi sarkar ya kisi ka netritva pasand nahi hai, toh aap uske anusaar vote dein. Sarkar badal jayegi.” Emphasising the importance of democratic rights, he added, “Loktantra hai isiliye tum virodh kar pa rahe ho. Agar loktantra na hota, toh aap jail mein nahi hote, balki kahin aur hi pahunch gaye hote. Isliye, yeh hum Bharatiyon ka saubhagya hai ki jo log virodh kar rahe hain, unhe Bharat ke pavitra Samvidhan ne virodh karne ka adhikar diya hai.”
Government’s Role in Handling Civil Unrest
His comments come amid the ongoing protests against the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by opposition parties. The demonstrations have sparked a wider debate over the right to protest and the government’s response to such protests. However, the actor maintained that the government has the right to respond when protests turn violent or involve damage to public property. “Remember, when protest turns into rebellion and rebellion takes the form of oppression, those in power have every right to deal with such a situation. If there is oppression, damage to public property or riots, the government will deal with it. Every government has done so,” he said.
Kapoor said that peaceful disagreement should be distinguished from violence and aggression. “Suppose I come outside your house and make noise. That is fine. But if I or my supporters pick up stones and start throwing them at your house, and then the people inside your house start beating you with sticks, the protesters cannot turn around and ask why they are being beaten, claiming that it is against democracy. That is a very childish argument. You have the right to protest, but if it reaches the stage of rebellion, oppression and violence, the government will deal with it,” he added.
Historical Context and Political Stance
Recalling the Emergency imposed during former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure, Kapoor referred to the arrest of Jayaprakash Narayan and several others, saying that governments have historically taken action when they perceive a threat to their authority. “When Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister at the time, felt that Jayaprakash Narayan had appealed to the Army to join him in the call for a new era of revolution, she considered it rebellion. She immediately put Jayaprakash Narayan in jail, and not just him, but several others as well,” he said.
Kapoor further said that governments continue in office as long as they have the mandate and urged people not to forget the importance of democratic institutions. Speaking about his political views, Kapoor clarified that he had no political ambitions and was not seeking any position in government. “Since 2014, I keep receiving information from here and there. Sometimes people abuse me, but that is all right. I have nothing to do with politics. I stand for the welfare, security and well-being of my motherland. Whoever speaks about the welfare and security of my motherland, I stand with them,” he said.
Expressing confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he added, “I have complete faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. People also say that I want a Rajya Sabha seat. Let me tell you that I do not want any seat, neither in the Rajya Sabha nor in heaven.” Describing himself as an ordinary artist, the veteran actor said he did not possess the skills required for politics and preferred to stay away from political affairs. “I am just an ordinary artist who sings and dances and earns a living for his family. Please keep me away from all these things. I pay my taxes honestly, and by the grace of my motherland, there has been no blemish on my record so far,” he said.
The actor also referred to concerns among police personnel and their families over the risks involved in dealing with violent protesters, questioning whether the police should be expected to remain inactive in such circumstances. “Even the police personnel are troubled. Their children have protested, saying that they will not send their fathers or brothers to die in front of these troublemakers. Do you expect the police to do nothing?” he said.
Kapoor said that the country is fortunate to have a democratic system that allowed citizens to express disagreement with the government, while maintaining that authorities must deal with situations involving violence and public disorder. “It is our good fortune that our country is at an important stage of democracy. It is because of this democracy that you are able to call yourself an intellectual. You are holding demonstrations and protesting, and your protest is against the government. Any government must know how to deal with such situations. And this is Narendra Modi’s government,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)