Question

Write a note on Indian Protest Culture?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

A strong  organic link with the personalities of the past in the field of movement is  one  of  the  unique  features of  collective  action  in  India.  In  any  protest  activity  whether  a  hunger  strikes,  dharna/sit‐in,  convention  on  any  movement  issue, a photo of great personalities from freedom movement  or  social  reform  would  be  displayed.  The  portraits  of  Gandhi,  Sardar,  Ambedkar,  Subhash  Chandra  Bose  and  Bhagat  Singh  etc.  in  political field  and Jyotiba phule, Sahuji maharaj from social reformers would be on dais.  The  hero  worship  of  public  personalities  is  due  to  their sustained  struggle  through  movement  in  respective  fields  which  have  created an  influence of these  personalities in  Indian society. General  people  cherish  the fighting spirit  of these  personalities in their field  of social  life.  Indian  masses have developed a practice to respect and revered those who work  for society. It  is  also due to strong religious  values  in  Indian society.  This  attachment to social  personality has  been  developed further  in  last  200‐ 250 years in India. The social reformers fight against social evils as well as  anti‐colonial  freedom  movement  helped  to  develop a  rebel  mindset in  India.

This  protest  culture  is  reflected in society’s response  on  social‐ political crisis or struggle against political power. In normal conditions or in  2  day to  day  activities  of  common  citizens the  overt protest  culture  is  not   visible. Only in social‐ political crises this culture of protest is manifest. The  most  famous  example  of  this  protest  culture in  Indian  peoples  is  their  active participation in  anti‐emergency movement  in 1975.  Though having well‐knitted  police  administration,  local  intelligence and  the  Congress  party,  the  Indira  Gandhi’s  central government  could  not  sense the  dimension,  passion and  intensity  of  people  joining  this  anti‐emergency movement. It was estimated that more than one lakh people were behind  bar for protesting against curtailing of the constitutional rights and eroding  of democratic values in country.