Among the best protest in India have been those undertaken by students, both in the outcomes and the fear generated in the hearts of the authorities. Be it 1974, JP’s Bihar Students Movement, (byproduct : three future CM’s Lalu, Mulayam and Nitesh) right down to the recent JNU student protests, where the anger against the policies of the rulers, were put across far better, with more colour and passion, than all the opposition political parties put together!
Then there are the political protests, that are noisy, full of passion and colour, which fizzle out sooner than you can read all of the placards! Till recently, held at Jantar Mantar (now shifted to Ramlila maidan), these are basically photo Ops, which conclude once the protesters (hamming to the hilt for the media cameras) are bundled into police vans, to be let out a few blocks away or given a lift to Khan market for a hot cuppa.
Recently, the new wave protests are in vogue. These are basically carried out without a well defined outcome, ostensibly held to caution the authorities, against future misadventure. Welcome to the new big thing in protest – chronic protests with a twist!
The main ingredient are surrogate protestors, (very similar to the paid crowds during election rallies), with just a faint idea about the issues being protested against. Known geriatric protestors with very little earning capacity are popular. They presence or absence, is often not sorely missed at home. Bottom line, the breadwinner continues to supply the bread and now one of the mouths eating that bread, is ‘earning” his/her living, by being part of the protest.
Unlike the strident student protests, these new chronic agitations have a more sedate quality, less passion and aggression and the geriatric element ensure a hands-off instruction for any ‘hard action’ by the authorities. Given the ‘age’ of protestors, they make for good human-angle stories for TRPs too.
Right from the Shaheen Baug protest to the Agitating Farmers on the railway tracks of Punjab, the elderly are being useful again.
While the free food /material succour supplied by the “sponsors” is a plus, the camaraderie of fellow agitators is better. But nothing beats the overwhelming feeling of being useful. The ember of passion burns there… “like leaves when their work is done, don colours for a gay goodbye”
In nature too, the usefulness of old age is common. A pack of snow wolves will be led by the oldest in the pack, the Alfa actually stays in the back! In case of an ambush the oldest are the sacrificial lot. In the plant kingdom too, there is a role for dying leaves too! The plant with no excretory system, throws out its toxins by pouring them into the dying leaf ..thus changing its colour, a gay goodbye!
If this new wave protest trend continues, I for one, have stopped dreading the gloomy future … haunted by feeling unwanted in my old age!
Sign me up please!
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