Hartal a bad move

The move by the Jamaat-e-Islami to call a two-day hartal on August 12 and 13 reflects once more the sad fact that all too often political issues are not handled in a political manner in the country. The Jamaat is naturally upset over its de-registration by the High Court. But, then, it should have been for its leadership to set matters right before the issue went to court. A political party which somehow ignores or flouts certain ground rules of political participation cannot expect things to go on as they usually or always have.
That said, this whole question of its de-registration is one the Jamaat leadership can look at afresh, with a view to correcting conditions for itself. Instead, by calling a hartal in protest at the HC decision, it has not only demonstrated insensitivity to public sentiments but has also shown a regrettable inability to go for some serious soul-searching within itself. Hartals in recent years have done immense damage to the economy besides putting up impediments to a smooth flow of citizens' lives. Add to that the mayhem the Jamaat has resorted to in recent months, particularly over the trials of its leading figures for war crimes. If one had thought the Jamaat would show a mature attitude to politics as a way of rolling back its past record, one has been proved wrong.
We strongly deplore the call for the hartal. And we expect everyone and every political party, even if they are aligned with the Jamaat, to desist from supporting the hartal. The interests of citizens are and always will be much more important than political adventurism. Let the Jamaat withdraw the hartal and go for a legal approach to its problems.