Deepak Kumar, when defending a Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar in Uttarakhand from a bunch of Bajrang Dal activists, was asked his name. His answer has resonated with millions across the country and raised an important question – are constitutionally guaranteed rights available to every Indian equally?
Across Uttarakhand, disputes that once belonged in civil courts or municipal offices are increasingly being settled in streets. Questions of licensing, naming, and propriety — usually regulated by local authorities — have begun to attract the attention of private groups, often accompanied by cameras and a vocal crowd.
These interventions rarely involve formal orders. They operate instead through the threat of summary mob justice.
These interventions rarely involve formal orders. They operate instead through the threat of summary mob justice.