Let us not bow down to threats, but fight it right

Two local villagers were angry that a wooden board blocking the inlet channel at the wetlands had been removed

A birder from Uran, who has been part of a group trying to protect the Panje wetlands in Uran, has received death threats from two locals, a concerning report said in this paper.

A social media campaign has been started by environmentalists who are trying to ensure support for this individual under threat. The online petition has been addressed to various authorities including the Prime Minister's Office about taking action on the degradation and threats to activists. We can only urge those who are threatened in any matter to lodge a police complaint. That way the police have on record that the person has been threatened and then should take action or escalate it, as they deem fit.

Let us put a complete stop to this threat culture. Genuine activists, concerned citizens who get involved with causes are often threatened. Then, there is pressure from a worried family to back down or stop pursuing a good and right cause. The attitude is do not get involved. This is what those threatening really want. Those fighting the good fight in any sphere will back down because of this intimidation either verbal, or via telephone or through some other medium. Once they back down, it is mission accomplished and this also serves as an ‘example' for other do-gooders, who might suffer the same fate.

This is one of the biggest obstacles we have towards citizens using people power to try and change a situation, or take the frontline for any genuine cause. It is time now, to take this intimidation seriously and move on complaints, even if they seem insignificant, or small. If the complaint is credible, we must see strong and swift action. It is a huge and tragic irony that those who seek to right a wrong live in fear, but those that are truly wrong continue with impunity.