EN days into protests in Punjab by members of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance things seem to be getting worse instead of better. In the latest police crackdown, more than 100 demonstrators were detained after being brutally baton-charged. The protests that kicked off on Oct 10 were prompted by the government`s proposed privatisation of public schools, amendments to pension regulations and the endof-leave encashment. Subjecting teachers, Lady Health Workers, and other public-sector employees to severe violence stands as a harrowing reminder of the limits that the state seems willing to impose on the democratic right to peaceful protest. As these words were being written, around 200 government employees remained incarcerated under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance. What is most unfortunate is that despite all that has happened, there has been no government figure even willing to lend an ear to the protesters` demands. Troubling accounts of the employees` houses being raided and family members being arrested have also surfaced.

AGEGA`s demands are neither novel, nor unreasonable.

They echo the concerns of public-sector workers throughout the country. It is the right of citizens to speak up about policies they believe could adversely affect their livelihoods. The fact that these concerns were met with batons instead of dialogue is a matter of concern. Education and healthcare stand at the forefront of any progressive nation and to penalise the cogs keeping these sectors running is a grave miscalculation. While the preservation of public order is indeed a priority, it must not come at the expense of fundamental rights. Suppressing peaceful protests not only alienates the public, it also diminishes the state`s legitimacy. The government, as representatives of the people, must remember it exists to serve, not subdue. The immediate release if all those arrested and a constructive dialogue with AGEGA is the need of the hour. Anything less will only deepen the chasm of discontent and mistrust.