Riot, Ryot, Run Riot

Ryots rarely indulge in riots in India irrespective of their plight in the hands of the government and the policies of the government. And, ryots’ lives are dictated by the Nature and rain gods.

The fields of ryots are often a riot of colours when there is plenty of water and enough sunshine.

RIOT:

Riot means a wild or violent disturbance caused by a group or crowd of people. Examples:

As a result of unexpected number of people turning up at the supermarket to buy goods on sale, riots broke out.

The police’s job is to control riots.

Government of the day should ensure riots do not happen – that is the people should not be made angry with its policies.

India is a country where there is a possibility for religious riots.

Unlike riots in the football stadiums in Europe, Indian cricket stadiums are relatively free of riots because there are no fanatical fans in IPL but this could change.

The Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given cheques for a sum of 5 lakhs to the families of 1984 riot victims in Delhi.  This is an increased compensation by the BJP-led government to riot victims’ families unlike previous Congress-led governments. Religious riots took place in the national capital in 1984 following the assassination of the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in these riots more than 2000 Sikhs were killed.

Riot police are trained to deal with riots, and they use riot shields to protect themselves from rioters.

Riot also refers to profuse display of something such as colours or emotions. Example:  Brindavan Gardens in Mysore is a riot of colours. A riot of emotions were visible in the family when the son returned home after seven years.

A riot means very amusing thing or person. Example: Brahmanandam in Telugu movies is an audience’s riot.

RUN RIOT: Run riot means behaving in violent and uncontrollable manner, figuratively running riot is getting out of control of someone or something – Economic depression ran riot in 2007/8 across the Western countries.

In order to deal with a situation running riot, the British colonial empire had a statute: Riot Act in the eighteenth century is a statute that prevented gathering of 12 or more people.

Riot is also a verb – participating in a riot for one or the other reason (Police tried to control rioting crowds but could not).

Derivatives of riot are riotous (adjective), riotously (adverb), riotousness.

RYOT:

Ryot is a peasant.

Ryots are farmers subsisting on small pieces of land but often at the mercy of natural conditions. In India, ryot also refers to a tenant farmer. Ryot’s origin is attributed to Persian, Arabic and Hindi in origin but often found in English texts.

Ryots are often in debt trap as a result of dependency on nature, middlemen’s ways, gullibility and exploitation.

If ryots in the country are not protected, they can run riot against the government, socially and electorally.