Flash mob new rage
Is flash mob new rage in India? Is it getting more followers in a society where more youngsters prefer to remain apolitical, but looking for ways to express themselves against injustices prevailing in the society?
The ongoing protests against the Delhi gang rape incident underlines a fact-people though are fed-up with shutdowns and strikes announced by political parties, they are not against genuine protests for genuine reason. Delhi rape case is not just one happened in the country,but the reaction to it was tremendous that even the police lost its sense of direction. In fact, they failed to realise it as flash mob. That's why they met young protesters with batons and tear gas, instead of quelling their anger through immediate action.
Now,Finance Minister P.Chidambaram has come with a statement that India is not fully prepared to meet flash mobs.
But I don't know why Chidambaram addressed the media, instead of Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
Whatever, the youth successfully made use of social networking sites to take the anti-rape protest to the level of flash mob. It was during protests by former Team Anna movement we saw flash mobs at its full strength. But unlike the anti-rape protest those were organised protests, which was announced in advance.
If people across the country take Delhi protests as a model, definitely we are going to witness more flash mobs. Spontaneous reaction to issues in the society are rare in India unless it is backed by some political parties. But, now a protest requested by a handful of youngsters-two girls and six boys- who claimed to be working,but refused to divulge their names to the media, went viral and the mob responded to it spontaneously. At a time when the protests showed a sign of abating, These youngsters, probably close friends of the victim and her boyfriend, announced they are not going to end the protest as long as justice is not done.
But as the government has flown out the victim out of the country and arrested all the accused, there is little reason for protesters to go on with the agitation. But that also give way for fresh flash mobs,if the case is not going to be settled in fast track courts and the judicial investigation will come up with quick findings.
(Picture credit : CNN)
Nazeem.. glad to read your post, but I’m afraid most of the views expressed here smack of some amount of prejudice. The visuals aired by almost all the national channels and the eyewitness account of our own correspondent clearly suggest that it was an unruly, ruthless crowd who gathered there on those two days. (Obviously, those being weekend holidays, they have nothing else to do at home.) Whatever be the premise or whatever be the cause they are protesting for, there’s absolutely no justification for attacking and overturning private/family vehicles which happened to be in those areas. To top it all, three girls were standing on top of Amar Jawan Jyoti wearing boots and all the other paraphernalia and challenging the policemen to shoot them. (You must have seen those visuals, I trust.) Needless to say, Amar Jawan Jyoti is the very epitome of our national pride and the sacrifice of our countless soldiers. What damn business do these “protesters” have to desecrate such a great national monument? ( I strongly back the counterview that it was an anarchic and apolitical mob. ) I’m surprised that such people were greeted only with batons and tear gas. Instead, those three girls should’ve been shot at right away, without even a trial.
ReplyDeleteUnni, the mob was apolitical, that's why they showed little respect to even Amar jawan Jyothi. I am not justifying their unruly attitude, but I do accept it as part of mob fury. Anger and violence always go together. So at that time the authorities should have tried to quell that anger, than flaring up it to the level of riot. We can only dream of Gandhi-led peaceful protests.We lack such charismatic, true leaders.
ReplyDeleteNazeem.. I find it tough to accept this sort of hooliganism. Mob fury and mob justice are primeval concepts and we are supposed to be living in a civilised society. Or else, where’s the difference between the blood-thirsty villagers of north India who would lynch anyone suspected of theft and the so-called “civilised” crowd who showed up on Delhi streets on those days?? They deserve nothing less than bullets but police kept utmost restraint. (I respect your views, but these are my feelings. Trust we can always agree to disagree.)
ReplyDeleteOf course, you are free to express your views. But I cudnt see any kind of hooliganism in the ongoing protests. Even there were some, it was because of rowdy elements and intrusion of radial groups. I am with the protesters, for the time has come for a do or die situation.
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