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is assembled and disassembled, manipulated to get the work
done for specific people. This crowd does not get assembled on
its own like a protest group or a mob. This is a hired crowd,
which is brought together. They may have come for different
purposes. Some may have come for money, some because there
is no other way (like police, servants, slaves, and soldiers). All
for their livelihood, to survive. This crowd is also dispossessed
by the Empire and the Empire itself is offering them livelihood
by making them do such acts. Some of them may have been
brainwashed to think that whatever they are doing is for good,
for the nation, for the Temple and for God. As an individual,
some may have thought that what they are doing is not fair, but
as a crowd they still accomplish the dirty task at hand of violently
arresting an innocent person and ready to inflict violence as
orchestrated, letting themselves be manipulated.

Introspection

Our world and even our country are no different. When
common people are raising voice against the rulers, a “crowd”
comprising police, army, hired mercenaries and brainwashed
zealots are brought together to quell the protest with violence
and arrest non-violent leaders of these voices. We have been
seeing this in Koodangulam, in Kashmir, in Assam, in Bengal,
in public university campuses and recently in Shaheen Bagh.
This reminds us as how Indian soldiers were used to kill Indians
during the British Raj, how Dalits are used to mete out violence
to other marginalised communities. Even though the individuals
in the crowd may or may not believe what they do is right, they
let themselves be orchestrated by the powerful and the rulers.

It is easy to find fault with others and point out others’
weaknesses. Today, let us introspect ourselves. Whether I have
been part of such a crowd or made to act in such a crowd to
accomplish dirty things for the powerful? Am I involved

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Lenten Meditations Re - Imaging People