Protests are nothing new to us Indians. The great Mahatma himself taught us the right way - the 'aagrah' for 'satya' - the Satyagrah. Peaceful protest to make your voice heard. It was such a beautiful concept.
What has happened in the last 60 years that we have forgotten this instrument of protest?
Whenever a protest happens, buses get burnt and public property gets destroyed. That is almost taken for granted nowadays. When the Gujjars decided to ask for ST status, they pretty much paralysed Delhi and went on a rampage
However, what takes the cake was the recent mob violence in Assam. Adivasis (tribals) were protesting and demanding ST status. This protest got out of control and police rushed in to quell the violence.
In the ensuing melee, three youths jumped on a woman adivasi protestor and tore off all her clothes - and everyone else was watching merrily - taking pictures with their cellphone cameras. The poor girl was chased for a long time till someone threw her something to wear....
I am ashamed. What is happening? Hadn't we learnt from the similar case that happened in Mumbai during the new year revelries last year when a mob tried to strip a girl at the Gateway?
Are we losing our senses?
The perpetrators have been caught, but till the time our mentality changes and we stop using protests for propagating violence and stripping women, we won't be able to make our voices heard and the hard learnt lessons of Satyagraha will simply be lost.
What has happened in the last 60 years that we have forgotten this instrument of protest?
Whenever a protest happens, buses get burnt and public property gets destroyed. That is almost taken for granted nowadays. When the Gujjars decided to ask for ST status, they pretty much paralysed Delhi and went on a rampage
However, what takes the cake was the recent mob violence in Assam. Adivasis (tribals) were protesting and demanding ST status. This protest got out of control and police rushed in to quell the violence.
In the ensuing melee, three youths jumped on a woman adivasi protestor and tore off all her clothes - and everyone else was watching merrily - taking pictures with their cellphone cameras. The poor girl was chased for a long time till someone threw her something to wear....
I am ashamed. What is happening? Hadn't we learnt from the similar case that happened in Mumbai during the new year revelries last year when a mob tried to strip a girl at the Gateway?
Are we losing our senses?
The perpetrators have been caught, but till the time our mentality changes and we stop using protests for propagating violence and stripping women, we won't be able to make our voices heard and the hard learnt lessons of Satyagraha will simply be lost.
No comments:
Post a Comment