In the Padmaavat case, the State has allowed Karni Sena to make a mockery of existing institutions; it got blackmailed — or saw it politically expedient — to force its postponement; it then allowed the Karni Sena to define the terms of the debate — does the film respect or insult Rajputs — rather than categorically assert that once it was certified and had gone through due process, the content was irrelevant; then various state governments — with the Centre turning a blind eye — allowed goons of the Sena to rampage across parts of India contravening the rights of all other citizens, including children; it has done little to act against this group despite criminality and it has done little to reassure other citizens that their right to either watch the movie or even to walk the streets of say a Gurugram or Jaipur will be protected in the face of the mob.

This is a remarkable story of abdication of political and administrative responsibility.