I am amazed and deeply disappointed at the recent upsurge in the incidences of throwing shoes in India as a mark of protest. It appears that we have forgotten that everything that happens elsewhere in the world cannot and should not be copied. I mean there is something called individuality and originality also.In all this hussle and bustle i think we have decided that anything and everything goes for publicity.
India has been the pioneer in engineering the most famous form of protest- that of Satyagraha and civil disobedience. Those ideas over the years have served as the beacon of light for liberation struggles all over the world and made all those people famous ,whosoever has treaded on that path.But now, we have become rag-pickers from other's baskets it seems.Those dumb headed ill-mannered individuals in India,who in the last few days have taken to this new form of protest that has made its debut, (thanks to the journalist in Iraq who threw his shoe at Mr.Bush Jr.) are objects of disgust for me(others may disagree and have every right to). We boast about our great culture and values whenever we get a chance to,how did these people forget that then ? And all those who followed this form of protest did not belong to the so-called 'young, hot blooded hip-hop generation Y ' clan ( becuase its this group who always share the blame of mutilating our civilizational values).These were people who were made to grow up on the strong roots of Indian culture.So where did thier cultural virtues disappear now ? One may argue that 'frustration' made them do it.But i for one wont buy that argument.Because if we remember our history correctly,then nothing was more frustrating than to allow your motherland to be ruled by the aliens for 200 years.But flip through the pages of history, not a single episode (baring the Surat Session of the INC in 1907) was marked by such cheap forms of protest.I think its time we make use our minds and not get swayed by the idea of getting frontpage coverage in newspapers and become a hero ! All sensible and like-minded individuals must join to condemn such incidences.After al India still has some individualty and a special niche in the comity of nations.
India has been the pioneer in engineering the most famous form of protest- that of Satyagraha and civil disobedience. Those ideas over the years have served as the beacon of light for liberation struggles all over the world and made all those people famous ,whosoever has treaded on that path.But now, we have become rag-pickers from other's baskets it seems.Those dumb headed ill-mannered individuals in India,who in the last few days have taken to this new form of protest that has made its debut, (thanks to the journalist in Iraq who threw his shoe at Mr.Bush Jr.) are objects of disgust for me(others may disagree and have every right to). We boast about our great culture and values whenever we get a chance to,how did these people forget that then ? And all those who followed this form of protest did not belong to the so-called 'young, hot blooded hip-hop generation Y ' clan ( becuase its this group who always share the blame of mutilating our civilizational values).These were people who were made to grow up on the strong roots of Indian culture.So where did thier cultural virtues disappear now ? One may argue that 'frustration' made them do it.But i for one wont buy that argument.Because if we remember our history correctly,then nothing was more frustrating than to allow your motherland to be ruled by the aliens for 200 years.But flip through the pages of history, not a single episode (baring the Surat Session of the INC in 1907) was marked by such cheap forms of protest.I think its time we make use our minds and not get swayed by the idea of getting frontpage coverage in newspapers and become a hero ! All sensible and like-minded individuals must join to condemn such incidences.After al India still has some individualty and a special niche in the comity of nations.