Jamaat’s Second Long March in a Month Over Gas and Electricity Demands: A Tactic to Keep People Distracted?

Staff Correspondent

For the second time in September, the opposition 11-party alliance embarked on a long march demanding gas and electricity shortages. Political analysts say that this program, which began in North Bengal yesterday, is not an effective solution. Rather, it is just a propaganda strategy to capitalize on public anger and increase public involvement and popularity.

In the first week of September, after the first long march, the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami clearly stated in a speech in Parliament, “The government cannot be held responsible for the gas and electricity crisis. This crisis was not created by this government,” yet within a few days, the alliance has once again been taken on a long march demanding a solution to the oil-gas-electricity crisis. This dual position raises the question—is a solution really being sought, or is it political expediency?

According to analysts, Jamaat and its allies are taking to the streets to capitalize on the public anger over the electricity and gas crisis. They are making their presence known through long marches and trying to garner public support. But in reality, these programs are not contributing to resolving the crisis. Solving complex problems like gas and electricity cannot be done by marching on the streets. It can be done through discussions in parliament, formulating policies and taking effective measures.

If there was a real goal of finding a solution, then the issue could have been continuously pressured in Parliament. Rather, the main objective seems to be to keep people busy on the streets by repeatedly calling for long marches and grabbing media headlines. Political observers are calling it a “publicity stunt”—where people’s suffering is being used to further their political interests, but no real solution to the crisis is being found.

Such programs not only waste people’s time and effort, but also divert attention from the real problem. If they want a permanent solution to the gas and electricity crisis, political parties should prioritize the parliamentary process, not just demonstrative programs on the streets.