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Protest with a smile

Martyr's Day just went by but the spirit of Gandhigiri is already on the wane after the Munnabhai hype

ACROSS TIME Munnabhai is said to have brought Gandhiji to the young

If you spot a cockroach in the biryani served at your college canteen, will you give the cook a bouquet of roses? Unlikely, say most college students. Gandhigiri might have gripped the nation's imagination for a while. But after all the hype about Lage Raho Munnabhai has subsided, not all of them are sure Gandhigiri works in life beyond the silver screen.

Anupama, a psychology student says one reason it cannot work is because it is not easy to get people to support a cause.

"For methods of the kind in the movie to work, you need the strength of numbers. In college , few students would come forward to support such issues," she says.

Avinash, an engineering student says very few students would even think of protesting against problems they face but Ashok, a law student does not quite agree. "It might not always work, but there are times when it can prove extremely effective. It is possible to garner the support of many students for instance, and recommend changes to the principal," he says.

Ashok is a part of a group of youngsters who got around 7,000 signatures on a petition to end the "beggar mafia" after a news channel aired a story on it. "We are trying to do our bit to pressurise the government to set up a separate ministry for child welfare." That for him is Gandhigiri in real life.

Anupama says non-violent agitations make sense when the issue at stake involves a very large number of people. In cases such as the Narmada Bachao Andolan, peaceful agitation might work, she says. Sravanthi, a literature student says non-violence is relevant in certain situations, but has its limitations. "It is too idealistic to expect certain sections, such as dalits, who have been oppressed for centuries to protest peacefully. Having been the victims of violence for so long, they will ultimately want to use force too."

Youngsters might differ on whether offering the left cheek after being slapped on the right is foolishness or a sign of strength. But when MetroPlus caught up with them on Martyr's Day, they all admitted that watching the movie made them want to know more about Gandhiji and his life. Sanjay Dutt's antics seem to have brought alive the man and his methods to them in a manner history textbooks never could.

"Watching the movie makes you want to know more about Gandhiji," says Avinash while Sravanthi says the movie makes one want to have an informed opinion about Gandhiji, irrespective of whether one agrees with his philosophy or not.

SAVITHA SURESH BABU

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