I’m feeling a bit better now and spent the last hour cooking dinner. It was while cooking when I reasoned with myself about why I can’t get myself to agree with the PCC when so many of us are so readily for it. Following is what I came up with:
1. Need of a leader, not an instigator
As a result of the Mangalore pub incident and other such ridiculous nonsense that followed, almost everyone agreed that we need an able leadership in India. Many of us even said that we could use a Lady-Obama. Sure, I agree with that. Now I ask all of us who would like an Obama-type leader in India about whether Obama would approve of the Pink Chaddi Campaign?
No, he would not.
Rallying people up for a cause is child’s play. It is easy to get people excited and riled up. Starting a blog is enough. But that’s not leadership. That’s not what we need at the moment! We are in a dire need of a leader. Someone who knows what to say, when to say it and how to say it. Someone who can unite people on the route to progress and productivity. Someone who values a non-reactive and a calm demeanor over an emotional outcry. Someone who can think with a rational mind even in times that are most turbulent. Someone who saves his energy to speak up for when the need is most. Someone who does not shout but is assertive enough to get himself heard and followed without an uprising from his audience. That’s what a leader is and that’s what we need! Not PCC which stands for everything opposite. An example of leadership: India Helps.
2. Putting a media hog in limelight = Giving alcohol to an alcoholic
Muthalik is a media hog. His followers are media hogs. They want media attention. They crave media attention. If the fact that they took video cameras with them when they attacked the Mangalore pub isn’t proof enough for their cry for attention, then perhaps this journalist’s article might throw some light. They are all most likely elated with the reaction that PCC is providing them. If the intention is to embarass them or to humiliate them, it is a lost cause. They are instead basking in the limelight that is being provided to them. People like them don’t get humiliated in this way. They don’t get embarassed! They are enjoying the attention. They did what they did to get attention and they are getting it.
It’s best if they are ignored and not fed any media space. No one should fall into their trap by giving them reasons to create more ruckus. Calling oneself ‘loose and forward’ doesn’t befit any person especially when sarcasm is completely lost on the target audience. Medicine should always be tailored according to the target disease or else the disease would not be cured. Aggressive reaction like that of PCC is certainly not the correct medicine in this case.
Having said that, I understand that the reaction is not out of a personal vendetta against Ram Sena or its leader. It’s their ideology that is not acceptable to a nation which constitutionally provides freedom of choice to all its citizens. Unfortunately though, the same ideology is still accepted by a huge majority of present India. Sending pink underwears to Ram Sena would only tilt the majority’s support in Ram Sena’s favor. It’s not the underwears that are undignified; it is the angry reaction that is unpalatable. It will only provide Ram Sena justification for their previous actions and encouragement to continue with their agenda that will get them what they want: attention.
What would I do instead if I had my way?
I would like to beat Muthalik at his own game. He wants media. Give him that but in a very non-reactionary manner. Do not confront him. Tell the man that you respect his views even though your views are diagonaly opposite to his. If you want to humiliate someone, beat the man with words that are not caustic. Stand true to your beliefs but let the man know that his views too are respected despite his unacceptable behavior. No one can humiliate anyone more than one’s own conscience … and a good diplomat’s and a good leader’s expertise is in pricking that conscience. Can anyone in the country do that? Can any good journalist do that? It’d be a good start.
Following that, I’d like the media to be used in a positive manner to highlight the freedoms that women seek. Freedom does not mean drinking beer or smoking cigarettes. Freedom means being free from the need to conform to the societal demands and be one’s own self. On the other hand, freedom also doesn’t mean blindly aping West as shown in Sex and the City. A true experience of freedom entails knowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses, and using that knowledge to be a productive part of the society without conforming to any external pressures. That message should be redundantly highlighted in all media outlets and should be imbibed into the school curriculums as well. Change the popular culture as it stands now! That’s where the change has to begin!
Reach out to magazines, newspapers, TV shows that cater to your target audience (probable Ram Sena ideology supporters) and write for those publications. Talk about the need of freedoms. Get the word spread. If there is anything positive that Pink Chaddi Campaign has brought about, it’s the interest of an average person whose concern mostly is to raise a family in the most peaceful manner possible. The awareness that PCC is bringing should be capitalized on! It needs to be followed up productively to get the message of gender equality out to where it needs to go in a non-reactionary manner.
Get the word out! Get people talking about it! Follow a leader … and be wary of instigators.
I think this is a great campaign….what aggravates me is this “talibanistic” mentality…when will this stop??
ranjani: it’ll stop a few days after we stop letting our aggravation dictate our actions :)
Yup, I too have linked DP Satish’s article. Muthlik beat up urban women only to darner publicity. ut he shouldnt get away with it. Anyone who wants to launch themselves in future will do that. :( We need hard action. I would love it if someone beat him mercilessly in full view of world. Because I have little expectations from law enforcements.
And write we must, some trolls have made some uncharitable remarks on my blog on the pink chaddi abhiyaan post.
poonam: y’know wha? I am mad that i don’t get any trolls!!!! :(
this dude needs be humiliated for sure … but humiliate in front of who? majority who is in agreement with his ideology rite? well, then, do it the way that no one would be offended and u’d have them all on yer side rite and not his.
Totally agree- on the talk part. But, honestly, I do not think the SRS or other goon outfit takes their Indian culture talk seriously. Those are the views they impose on others. Its like the gay pastors in the homophobic churches. I hope the campaign carries on being a voice for women being victimized- after February the 14th- they seem to have plans to this end.
yeh, ally, as long as they keep this going and not alienate people.
You have hit the nail on the head, Roop! I totally agree with what you’ve said about the need for a leader, someone who will be rational nd non-reactinary when faced with irrational people and their ways. It’s easy to whip up passion for causes, but gimmicks do not have any positive, far-reaching consequences on the task at hand.
When I got the invitation to join the consortium of pubgoing, loose and forward women, I was taken aback that anyone would like to brand themselves with these terms, but then I saw the satire behind the name. However, now that I’ve started sorting this out in my head, I think the name, too, only serves to reinforce the stereotype of women as corrupting influences on society – they very thing these men are saying.
Even the call to visit pubs – well, drinking is a personal choice – some women choose to drink and some don’t – and it has no bearing whatsoever on women as individuals. So, you are right – we are playing right into the hands of these men with the campaign.
I still believe the government needs to be stirred into taking some legal action to safeguard the rights and choices of women through responsible journalism and meaningful dialogues.
Great post as usual, Roop! *Applauds* I love your clarity of thought and the calm, fair, and rational way you manage to put them across. And I’m so glad you’re feeling better – fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.
Mystic: would it be cheezy if I praised u rite back? hehe i agree agree agree to everything u said. y’kno im yer fan # 239048345. So it’s a huge honor for u to like what i hve to write. thankuuu!! :)
Not too well to go into the details but I’m all for the Pink Chaddi Campaign. It’s the Gandhigiri technique and works for me.
D: i hope u feel better soon too!! :(
i don’t think it’s gandhigiri at all
and it doesnt work for me. :D
Not too well to go into the details but I’m all for the Pink Chaddi Campaign. It’s the Gandhigiri technique and works for me.
Wonderful Post.
When I first saw the facebook group, I was moved that someone (and not just women) wanted to do something about this.
I was more inclined to do the pub crawl, and I would like to see what they can do. How thin do they plan to spread themselves to achieve their motive of checking women doing what they please?
I completely support the cause, but in a way I am just unsure what they will gather from such an act. ( I can only think of pervert thoughts moving through these minds)
Athira: Please be careful when u are pub crawling. Make sure to stay with a group of people and carry something with u to protect urself. U’re right about the perverted thoughts. They’d prolly pile the panties up and sleep on them in glee! :P
Well well written!
I fully support the cause behind PCC,but i am afraid it will only help in more stereotyping of urban women…
that’s right Nimmy! They’re calling themselves the same that they are being labeled. sarcasm really is lost.
Very well written! But who would be that leader? Who would want to sacrifice their lives in this pursuit to change the mindset of the masses?
Thanks sonia! :) I wish I could answer that hey. If I were to choose to take this up, my safety would be my first concern for the sake of my family yes. It’s unfortunate that situation is so dire that there is no one who can lead without risking his/her life.
Roop, I was going to reply here but then I read a post of a blogger who commented on my blog and I thought I would just paste that link here
http://thetwentysecondline.blogspot.com/2009/02/letter-to-sagarika-ghose.html
This is his reply to Ms. Ghose whose views are a bit similar to yours esp. the Sex and the City part.
I am just posting the link here because I fully support the campaign and this response too. I support it more after seeing some of the trolls talking about Rani Laxmi bai and putting down women in some blogs.
Pink campaign like all is just a peaceful protest. How can we even have a dialogue with someone whose first instinct is to beat up women? There is no excuse for violence.
Some have questioned that Pink chaddi and women drinking might get men high. Now is it woman’s fault that men has pervert thoughts seeing us? So to keep us safe the best way is to stay home. Is that going to happen?
Don’t we read even 3 month and 1 year old girls getting molested? What did they do? Did they drink or provocate men in any way?
I wanted to to quote many points from your post but I thought I will just type a general reply :)
In the end all of us have our way to analyze things. Hope things turn well!
——————————–
Now get better soon :)
Solil: thanks for wishes, darl … it’s working .. .the meds are. let’s hope infection goes for good thereafter.
Dialogue shouldnt be with Muthalik but with the government that is elected by the people. Dialogue and discourse should be between the elite and the class that feels left behind in this race of progress. Muthalik should be ignored. He’s only a symbol of an ideology that’s still holding the country back. The ideology should be dealt with in a constructive manner whilst Muthalik should be ignored. Get the majority of the nation’s support on ur side, and those like Muthalik will be walked over within days. Don’t spite the majority is all I say. PCC does spite the majority. Muthalik is a nobody. He does not deserve the attention he is getting.
well a breaking news
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090083320
A girl has committed suicide after humiliation by alleged Bajrang Dal in Mangalore.
I think sending pink chaddis is letting them go easily where as they are criminals and should be treated like them..people there should file PIL against this Ram Sena.
I get most of what you say, and agree too, frankly. However, I want to think more, read again and let you know what I think :)
But one thing, I do not think it ends with this. I think it starts with this and its a good start.
we sure hope that, Nandi, dont we. we sure hope so!!! that it does not end with this. u should take ur time to think … in fact, im glad that you are willing to give it a thought!! that shows intelligence and an open mind! wish we had more of that.
I just read an impassioned post vociferously supporting this campaign. However, I liked this post too-there is a wealth of truth in it:)
mithe: fer tusi kehre paase? heeh
For once, I agree with you. :D
ss: u always agree with me. u just don’t want to admit it normally. :p
Hi Roop:)
yeah the PCC campaign might or might not do much…but talking to them seems to be out of the question…
as Solilo said That blogger makes valid points..have linked her…Anrosh her name is..
lets see how far this goes…
Get well soon..:)((hugs))
and err.. why would you want trolls?:D
Ind: cuz trolls would give me topics to blog on hehe jk. honestly, i’ve never had a troll! can u imagine?!?!?! :| isn’t your blog worth judged by the number of trolls u get on yer blog? ehe
[...] as stereotyped. PCC is only playing into the stereotype as opposed to moving away from it (as Mystic also mentioned). I would suggest you to not fall for it … but every thinking mind is unique. [...]
Heya Roopie,
Heheh you always take the more practical approach about these things – but I still support the PCC. However there are pros and cons with the campaign as you are saying and I totally agree with your thoughts in this post.
Let me tell you why:
It brings the issue out into the open. You know it’s not just about the ‘right to go to a pub’ – it’s more than that. It’s not even about ‘Western culture’ – pubs etc have been part of Indian culture for centuries. The protest (primarily) is against the choice to live life the way we choose. Within reason – the laws and the Constitution are there to to guide us, but whatever decisions we make within those boundaries is ours – along with the results and consequences. Nobody has the right to take that away from us.
The fight is also against the injustice against women – why were only the women targeted? The ideals of what the SRS deem appropiate of how a woman should act and behave is unfair, outdated and hypocritical. It’s a statement against that as well. It comes back to freedom of choice. Everyone deserves that.
I agree though Roop – it’s probably not the best approach to take. The name, because it is sarcastic actually loses its meaning as it goes over heads of the people that we are trying to convince and they take the literal meaning of the title. And then use it to retaliate, demean and trivialise it.
Which alienates a lot of the people that might have supported the sentiments behind the cause because they don’t want to be associated with being ‘loose’. Most of India is still conservative and this fight by what is admittedly considered the ‘elite’ India is lost on them. Those who understand that it is satire don’t care.
You’re right- Mtuhalik is a nobody and we really should consider him as that – HOWEVER by focusing on the ’smaller’ issue we are indirectly opening pathways to address widerspread issues.
One comment keeps coming up that we should be focusing all this energy on more prominent issues like female foeticide, dowry cases, helping the rural women etc. One reply to that, those women who may have the means to help in all these issues – if such a basic right to live the way we want is being fought for – how can we help others??
The dialogue that will occur between people, whether they agree or not with the approach of the PCC will give them the chance to discuss the issues at hand and hopefully see the point that the PCC are trying to make.
But I totally agree – those serious about the cause shouldn’t take it as V’day being the end of it. Do something MORE – address the government, try and convince the victims to file a police report. But as you said the PCC has at least united people from all around the world to start thinking about it. And THAT is hard to ignore.
Read this – it’s on par with your thoughts and I totally agree with them too.
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=49641698651&topic=7600
From that thread alone, one of the victims has spoken out and already legal counsel is being given to her on how she can proceed. PCC is fully supporting it too…
One step at a time Roop :)
I agree your thoughts on this. But if you’ve seen these kind of actions below, they don’t back down immediately when you ignore them. They try to come up with something bigger and more ridiculous to gain more attention. How many women do we risk being beaten up/forced to commit suicide before they get bored with the lack of attention and move on?
Forget about women being beaten up. They had no right to beat up any human being in the pub! What did the law do? That’s why people take it upon themselves to protest. In the beginning I did think the pink chaddi campaign was a bit ridiculous. I do think it’s giving too much attention to the RamSena. But I don’t know if ignoring it is a good thing as well.
Gah – I totally don’t have a solution to it. Just that in the past, we’ve always kept quiet when such injustices have happened….and nothing came out of it. Will protesting change it? Remains to be seen.
Some insightful comments on the pink chaddi campaign. I work a radio disucssion programme called World Have Your Say (www.worldhaveyoursay.com) for the BBC World Service and we are talking about this on our show tonight (in a couple of hours).
If you are interested in participating on air, please email me with your telephone number: claudia.bradshaw@bbc.co.uk – thanks Claudia
“”this dude needs be humiliated for sure … but humiliate in front of who? majority who is in agreement with his ideology rite? well, then, do it the way that no one would be offended and u’d have them all on yer side rite and not his. beating him could be one way. ;) “”
So you are saying that Indian people are more offended by pink underwear than they are by beating people mercilessly?
And that is “civilized” and “cultured”???
I’m shocked.
ICP: i was attempting at a joke when talking about beating him. obviously, it got lost in translation. my bad. it has been removed. thanks for bringing it to my notice.
Your noble thoughts are a whiff of fresh air. They bring to the urban Indian a sense of calm and a responsible sense of belonging.
However your thoughts are in close neighbourhood of a socially vibrant system around you. Your voice will not only be heard in the place where you are. There will be an outcry good enough for punitive action to follow. In fact action may be much before the outcry.
We are at the opposite ends sitting here in your good old India. Here the state machinery is weak in its knees. Twiddling with their thumbs whether firm action agaisnt the oppressors would serve them politically or not. weighing whether the oppressors have more supporters or whether truth has to be supported come what may.
The people who attacked the pub in Mangalore are from a club which is full of fascism. fascists are driven by their ideology of hatred and spewing venom to achieve their own interests. They cannot be reined in with candle lights and noble thoughts. They do not understand the language of peace. Here is where the undesirable yet powerfully sarcastic medium of the pinkchaddi comes in.
It is a metaphor for the absolute disgust for the actions of the group . the colour pink denotes the message coming from the specific gender. And the very need for a chaddi instead of any other clothing is to potray the level to which the Ram Sene is viewed in the mind of the common Indian.
Muthalik and his band of rabid boys hogged the media for sure. However by the time the media had exposed it was too late to ask for a rewind. The limelight which his supporters hapily claimed needed to get a kick through the same media. There was nothing better than the pinkchaddi campaign to achieve this objective in the quickest possible manner.
If there was a more powerful message to vehemently oppose beating up of innocent women by slapping, kicking , molesting and abusing, then let us know.In fact happily take the initiative
By the way in Obama’s land there is no Yediyurappa who nurses the wounds of the hands of the goons who beat up women. Those goons would have been cooling their heels behind bars in Obamaland for sure. With him we dont have to even think pink. Leave alone the chaddi
It is amusing that you call this campaign instigatory. That is what it is not!
TBG: Thanks for the comment. It was surely a worthwhile read. While I empathize with your views, I am afraid we’ll have to disagree on the approach. True that India differs from America in many ways but change has to begin somewhere. Perhaps if the educated elite of India started acting in a responsible manner, others might follow suit? It will take time but it is a process that is worthy of being taken up … it really is about time … for all the reasons that you mentioned! Americans are no better people than Indians. It’s just that the system here works. Maybe it’s the educated elite’s responsibility or calling of the day to work towards making the system in India work … and it certainly won’t happen by throwing lingerie at each other. but like everyone keeps saying, perhaps it is a start. :) thanks.
I cannot put in words how much I agree with you. I was busy the entire last week, when this campaign was hitting the headlines, but somehow it never appealed to me. But everyone in the blog-o-sphere seemed so happy with it, that I did not comment much. Very happy to read your post. I think i will do one too now. I do not really agree with PCC, teh very concept is humiliating to women themselves is what I feel. Loved your post. Hope you are better soon.
I don’t know how this happened, but I have never blog rolled you so far. Doing it right now.
Don’t you think that a campaign to send pink panties to misogynist men amounts to gay-bashing them?
It’s pretty clearly meant to use the mens’ own
twisted notions against them, and make them feel as if they are being feminized by being associated with pink-colored womens’ underwear. They are
going to feel like they’re being called faggots, and I think that’s the intent of the campaign. Now I’m reasonably sure that these clever women know that there’s nothing shameful about being gay, but while turning the mens’ prejudices against them is smart and amusing, it amounts
to exploiting and arguably validating those prejudices. It feels too much like supporting homophobia to me.
I think the PCC is drawing polarized reactions. I fall somewhere in between. I would not join the campaign because I consider the acts of violence on the women in Mangalore and the ideals guiding them dangerous and barbaric, not something that needs to be made fun of. I don’t think any woman present at the pub that day would have liked to send Muthlik and gang their underwear. They would have wanted the perpetrators to be punished in the severest way possible. I would join a support group that asks for the same.
Having said that, I still think that any protest that brings this issue into the limelight is doing a good job and should not be run down. If one doesn’t agree with it, keep away (much like I have!).
Parul: with all due respect, i disagree vehemently. Criticism – albeit constructive – makes any product, plan, idea only better. Debates, discussions, arguments is what is unique to the human mind over other equally worthy living beings. No society has ever grown without discussions or debates amongst its members propelling it forward. No movement has ever shone strong without a strong criticism from the opposition. When Nelson Mandela started out, there was plenty criticism thrown his way too. That only strengthened his resolve. He took the criticism constructively, learned from it and only got better as a leader and as a man for which he is respected today.
If I can’t do anything at the mo, I’d definitely put forth my views which might be read by someone and might influence someone in some manner – perhaps for me or perhaps against me – that’s not up to me. Just as long as minds are thinking, criticism is in the air, arguments are on, discussions are happening, we are all growing as a society and moving on with time as humanity. Just for that, criticism should be there! arguments should be there. As long as they are not personal … which I am sure they haven’t been … not atleast on this blog. We’re all friends no matter how much we disagree with each other. :)
[...] photo reminded me of the Pink Chaddi Campaign and I looked up the PCC blog. They are now attempting to bring people together for [...]
[...] blog often and many have disagreed with me especially in the case of Pink Chaddi Campaign thing. I opposed it then and I still oppose it. It was a pointless exercise. I am not a Gandhian by any means but I surely [...]