The salt of democracy

After days of hunger strike by climate activist and reformer Sonam Wangchuk and his young associates at Jantar Mantar, with no respite from an indifferent government and the unbearable summer heat, things began to roll since the morning of July 18. The Delhi Police whisked away Mr. Wangchuk from the dais under the cover of white sheets and took him to the Safdarjung hospital for medical care. Forcing Mr. Wangchuk to abandon his strike, the government surreptitiously acted through the state to restore order, without any commitment towards political morality. The fundamental responsibility of a government in a democracy is to be answerable to the people.