I still haven't formed my full opinions on January 26th (not that it should matter, I'm just a random netizen and not some public figure, analyst, or representative). But I've seen a particularly pernicious narrative I've seen surrounding this photo that deserves more attention:

I was following the tweets live when this incident happened, and it has been IMO completely warped by some to foster an environment of paranoia towards Nihangs, the protests, and Sikhs in general.

At the particular border where this was happening, police were firing tear-gas from above and doing lathi-charges onto protestors. I'm not sure if this was one of the agreed-upon borders earlier or what, that's a separate argument to make. https://twitter.com/NBTDilli/status/1353932666584752128

As you can see on this video posted on 10:37 AM IST by Utkarsh (I believe he was the original to post):

While firing tear-gas from above platform, police were going up to protestors just standing (including elderly ones), and hitting them. https://twitter.com/UtkarshSingh_/status/1353937639477551107

As one can very clearly see here - while tear gas is firing from above, police hit people (including an elderly) while simply standing and while they ran away.

27 minutes AFTER, Utkarsh posted another video (he can correct me if wrong) - which very clearly shows that some furious protestors after being dispelled then coming back onto the scene, including the now-infamous Nihang Singh with his sword unsheathed. https://twitter.com/UtkarshSingh_/status/1353944401949712384

Even WHILE this is happening, you can see the angry Nihang-Singh and others are being physically held back by several protestors (Sikhs, I may add) from inflicting bodily harm on the police. By holding their arm back and literally pulling them away from the police.

Here's a view from afar that makes it even more clear: all the while the Nihang-Singh is brandishing his kirpan, you can see several people holding him back while other police are at a comfortable distance. They stop him 3 times and he even tussles slightly with them.

Whereas some are using this incident to deliver platitudes about how this proves the government has a Hobbesean duty to prevent an anarchic destruction of civil liberties by the mob - you literally see this stuff at clubs and parties, one angry dude getting held back by his crew

Contrary to fearmongering over "domestic terrorism from Abrahamic-influenced Khalistanis," it wasn't just Nihangs or turbaned Sikhs angrily reacting to the lathi hits and tear gas; right after all this, the camera pans to an angry Jaat (I think) throwing a tear gas shell back

A lot of political commentators are patting themselves smugly on the back for noting how this incident is an inversion of the "police beating the elderly" trope that caught international attention in December (and was literally manipulated by Amit Malviye of the BJP then too)

Yet they too fail to ignore that even this incident was sparked off by something of the EXACT same nature - several protestors standing or running hit in the back by aggressive cops (and this time with tear gas).

Meanwhile, look at the likes of Rahul Roushan (CEO of OpIndia):

Back in December, he was championing the use of tear gas EVEN WHEN protests were entirely peaceful.

He then posted one side of this and called it "open war against the state".

And used it to demonize all Sikhs.

With regard to Nihangs and their practices (reminder I am not one), people can have whatever thoughts they want. But let me remind everyone another hypocrisy of this RW-intellectual ecosystem.

Back when it was revealed in the court case for Ram Mandir that...

...the first group in the historical record to try and reclaim the Babri Masjid of Ayodhya in the name of Ram was a jatha of Nihang-Singhs, who forcibly occupied it and got embroiled in a riot as police tried to vacate them, RW outlets like Swarajya heaped praise on them.

That occupation was technically illegal (it was recorded in a FIR) and actually was a time where Nihangs "struck first".

Yet while covering this incident; Swarajya chose to make this Nihang-Singh their visible face of "Tractor Terrorism". Ironic?

I am sure this "intellectual" ecosystem will find a way to concoct a history showing how Nihangs aggressing for causes they find dear are true Dharmic warriors whereas Nihangs on the contrary have been influenced by "Abrahamism". It's shallow analysis meant to rile, not educate.

And if there's anything this ecosystem does well, it's riling, polarizing, and annoying people - I already noticed a stupid troll spamming this photo in the replies to various Sikhs (even when they're discussing topics other than Jan 26).

This isn't to say that ALL coverage has been warped in this way - I think this event was polarizing for a reason, and there will naturally be a division of opinions on it which is completely fine. It is a shame, though, that such differences in opinions and clarification of...

...cannot be discussed, debated, even "let's agree to disagree"'d on this platform in good faith - because of trolls & trigger-happy narratives minted by a VERY real (these are all blue-tick accounts) ecosystem meant to rile people towards lopsided communalized political opinions

I do hope that all those injured (both police and protestors) recover safely - it's too easy to forget about that in the political cacophony.

But the last two months have definitely shown to me some of the serious flaws with Twitter and many of its subcultures.