Prashnat Bhushan, liberal activist and Supreme Court lawyer, was detained by the Delhi Police from Delhi Gate, where he, Yogendra Yadav, and a few others were protesting against the Modi government on 30th January, as it was the day Gandhi died.
The police tried to stop Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, but they were hell bent on going ahead with the protest. Bhushan, who is 63 years old and would qualify as senior citizen, retorted to a police constable, and like a typical Delhi kid, said, “Aap jaante hain main kaun hoon? (Do you know who I am)?”
~Aap jaante hain main kaun hoon? ~
How would Lutyens India survive without this weapon?#PrashantBhushan pic.twitter.com/YJjDJxo8YO— Nandini 🇮🇳 (@NAN_DINI_) January 30, 2020
To Prashant Bhushan’s utter shock, the police constable replied, “Nahi Sir, main nahi janta (No Sir, I don’t know you).”
“Do you know who I am” and “Do you know who my father is”, are the typical dialogues of Lutyens kids, when they face the police or involve with someone in verbal or physical fight.
Prashant’s father, Shanti Bhushan, was the Minister of Law and Justice in the Janata Party of 1977-79. In 1980, Bhushan was also the founding member of Aam Aadmi Party to which Prashant Bhushan has also been associated for a long time. Yogendra Yadav, the protester with him, was also associated with AAP and now he heads the Swaraj Party- founded by him for advocacy of farmer’s rights.
From Bhushan’s dialogue to the police constable, it was clear that despite decades of experience in politics and law, the typical ‘Delhi boy’ habit is still innate. Bhushan has spoken against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and said that he will not show the papers, asked for the papers of the police constable to make sure that he is employed with Delhi Police.
He also said that ‘there are many people who roam around with Police jackets and he will not obey him unless the police constable shows his ID card.
A few days ago, the same Prashant Bhushan has tweeted, “Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge’ has become the song of this uprising against NRC/CAA, just as ‘Sarfaroshi ki tamanna’ was the song for Independence movement.That was for Azaadi from foreign rule. This is for Azaadi from those who seek to destroy our Constitution, Culture, Civilization.”
'Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge' has become the song of this uprising against NRC/CAA, just as 'Sarfaroshi ki tamanna' was the song for Independence movement.That was for Azaadi from foreign rule. This is for Azaadi from those who seek to destroy our Constitution,Culture,Civilization https://t.co/S1S9XUkM6b
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 20, 2020
The activists like Prashant Bhushan have enjoyed enormous power in the weak UPA government of 10 years. They were placated by the UPA through legislations of their interest, perks, and privileges. The power of civil society in Indian polity was at its peak during 10 years of UPA, and with full majority Modi government in power, their wings were curtailed. Therefore, people like Prashant Bhushan oppose every legislation of the Modi government.
