India’s Tradition of Protest and the New-Age Protester | Inquilab

There has been an unprecedented rise in citizen-led protest movements in India in the last decade or so. People from all walks of life and age groups have spoken up and risen to fight for their rights.

This, however, is not a new phenomenon. Protests in India go back to the time when the country was under colonial rule. Dharnas, gheraos, hunger strikes, work strikes, downing the shutters, boycotting foreign goods, non-cooperation, civil disobedience…there were numerous ways – small and big – in which the people of our country demonstrated and, eventually, fought for Independence.

Post-Independence India has witnessed a series of movements that defined the era and shaped the fate of the republic: the call for Total Revolution given by Jayaparakash Narayan galvanized the youth (1974) and led to the anti-Emergency protests (1975-77). In 1990, a section of the youth hit the streets to oppose the implementation of the Mandal Commission offering quotas for education and jobs based on caste.

After economic liberalization in 1991, it seemed like the age of street protests – with placards and slogans – was over. But in 2011, Anna Hazare went on a fast, and the whole nation stood up to support his demand for a stricter law to curb corruption. The social activist succeeded in revitalizing India’s tradition of protest.

This month, protests were held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding justice for the gangrape victim of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh – an incident that has shaken the conscience of the nation. The ongoing protest by farmers against the new farm laws has started garnering support from people across the country. The demand for the release of JNU student leader Umar Khalid, who is under arrest for his alleged role in the February Delhi riots, is gaining strength by the day.

The protestors in new India carry forward the legacy of the nation builders who fought for our freedom. The tools they use to fight for their rights may be different, but the spirit remains the same.

Inquilab, a collection of speeches and letters, brings together all the major events of the past decade. These are some of the most relevant and powerful voices of our times.

 

From Swara Bhasker’s Foreword

‘As the past decade has shown, a growing number of Indians are no longer relying on political parties to give voice to their dissent and an outlet to their outrage. A throbbing, pulsating and buzzing India – armed with smart phones, social media and independent channels of information – is vigilant, alert and engaging with the political and social reality it finds itself in. This India is not homogenous, it is not united. It is made up of citizens who are constantly bickering with each other, and rarely in agreement. But this India is awake.’

 

Anna Hazare, Anna Andolan rally, Delhi, 2011

‘We have to usher a new revolution in India. All of you have seen and read about the revolutions brought about by the youth in several countries, but these revolutions entailed a lot of bloodshed, a lot of damage to public property and great trouble for the people. But the revolution which you have brought about … there has been no damage to public property; it has been for the society. There has been no harm to the citizens of this country. Your kind of revolution has set an example for the entire world. The world will follow your example – the youth of India have started a revolution, see how it is done. The correct way of revolution – the youth of India have led the way.’

 

Kavita Krishnan, at a protest rally after the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, Delhi, 2012

‘After witnessing protests everywhere in the city today, shouldn’t the government have learnt at least this much, that our anger will not be doused by water cannons, or beaten out of us with lathi-charges. It is shameful that the government and the police who are ever willing to provide arguments defending the actions of rapists should now be ready to attack those fighting for the rights of women.’

 

Kanhaiya Kumar, after his release from Tihar Jail, JNU campus, 2016

‘If we establish a dialogue with those who have a scientific temper, we will be able to get the azaadi that we are demanding – from hunger and poverty, from oppression and exploitation, for the rights of Dalits, tribals, women and minorities – we will not give up till we get that azaadi. And we will ensure that this azaadi will come to this country via this very Constitution, this very Parliament, and this very legal system – that is our dream.’

 

Mahua Moitra, maiden speech in Parliament, 2019

‘You do not even tolerate questioning, let alone dissent. The spirit of dissent is integral to India. You cannot shackle us.’

 

Chandra Shekhar Aazad, open letter from Tihar Jail during anti-CAA–NRC protest, 2019

‘We exist because of the Constitution. It is our primal, basic thought; it is the protective shield for the Bahujan class. So, keep ensuring that every move that targets the Constitution fails.’

 

Ramachandra Guha, lecture ‘In Defense of India’s Pluralism’, Bengaluru, 2019 

‘The ability to say my language, my religion, my nation is not perfect, and the desire to correct the failures and fault lines and oppressive features of your religion or your language or your tradition are vital to patriotism. A true patriot is someone who feels shame at the crimes that his or her country commits. A true Hindu or a Muslim or a true Christian is one who feels aghast at the extraordinary oppression and discrimination practised in the name of their faith.’

 

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