Leading crowds to arson, violence not leadership
In his first public remarks on the violent anti-Citizenship Amendment Act, the Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat yesterday said it is not leadership if leaders guide masses, comprising university and college students, to carry out arson and violence in cities.
“Leaders emerge from crowds but are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions” he told a function here adding “leaders are those who lead people in the right direction.”
The army chief’s remarks were seen as his comments on the recent widespread violence seen during the pan-India protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and proposed NRC. More than 20 protestors have died in these protests, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka.
“What is so complex about leadership if it is all about leading? Because when you move forward, everybody follows. It is not that simple. It appears simple, but it is a complex phenomenon,” Rawat said in his speech.
“Even amongst the crowd, you find that the leaders emerge. But leaders are those who lead people in the right direction. Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions,” he added.
Giving the example of ongoing protests by a large number of university and college students, the Army Chief said the way masses of crowds were being led to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns is not leadership.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board yesterday favoured implementation of NRC.
“Hindustani Muslims do not have any threat from NRC. It should be implemented in the country. The real matter is of identification of intruders who are real threat to the country,” Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi told reporters in Lucknow.
“The intruders are vote bank for the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party. The Congress is making voter identity cards of intruders from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. If NRC is implemented, their real face will come to the fore,” he said.
Comments