Sunday 19 August 2007

Satyagraha 2007: Indian style of Protests & Photos

On the left is the photo of protesters sitting deep inside a well in Delhi, protesting the construction of the proposed Commonwealth village.

It was a tough exercise for officials and police to bring him out of the 40-feet deep dried well. The banner reads the message of his 'Satyagraha', the peaceful protest.

The other photo shows how the man sitting in the well, had to be forcibly brought out.
The third is the photo of Chand Miyan, who had climbed up a cell phone tower in Delhi, sometime back. He wanted an audience from Dubya. Chand Miyan was ready to come down, provided that Bush agreed to take back forces from Iraq.

The Dharmendra style protests have become quite popular all over the country. For the most unique reasons people all over the country climb up towers and threaten suicide.

Demonstrations, dharnas, protests and effigy burnings are part of daily life in all cities in India. Slightly different modes of protests catch eyes. Often mentally unstable persons take such steps. Others do it for publicity.

News channels that have to show something throughout the day lap up on such opportunities. Often journos themselves prompt the guys to do something 'different' and suggest the ways by promising them 'good coverage'. For people around, it is of course fun to watch the proceedings. After all, we Indians always love a 'tamasha', as Alberuni recorded, centuries ago.

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