A lone protestor climbs the first pole near the sidelane outside the Rashtrapati Bhawan, his one arm reaches his pockets as he dangles with the support of the other, and throws coins at the reporters and the police on the other side of the barricades. The crowd erupts with the slogan, "Paise le lo, Phaansi do"(Take money, but hang the culprits). Delhi was angry. Delhi was ashamed.
The weekend saw the biggest protest in India ever, that was not instigated by a political cause. Students, children, mothers, teachers, the working class had taken to the streets, to demand safety for women and speedy justice for a "fighter", a girl who has shown a spirit to the nation, I personally couldn't have dreamt of, no one could. The same spirit drives Delhi today, and I am proud of it, proud of the people. As I travel in the metro, as Mandi House station, Barakhamba and others pass by, I can't help but admire the strength the protest has gathered. And it should stay the same way, infact it should only grow stronger.
Yesterday was a bad day, but do not let it define what the protest stands for. Do not let images from the media, the lathicharge, the christmas holidays, the cold wave, the new year deter you from making an appearance. Yes, we belong to the working class now, we have just one weekend, or one holiday, the metros are closed, friends are meeting and blah blah blah.. If you really feel angry, if you feel the girl deserves justice, the culprits deserve to be subjected the most brutal punishment you can think of, the rape law needs to be changed (Do read about the Rape Law ), no girl should ever go through, what "she" did and if you believe that no uncle, no cop, no hooligan has the right to shove his sick idea of morality on to you, to teach you a lesson, just join the protests happening near you and show your support even for 1 hour. It will change you.
I am not from Delhi, I am from U.P., if the same had happened there(and yes they happen so often, but never has the media taken up a case so strongly), I can't say with conviction that the result would have been the same. But I believe in Delhi. I believe in this new wave in the nation. And so should you.
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