Gulaal On Cheeks to Lennon’s ‘Imagine’: Anti-ABVP March Highlights
Shehla Rashid singing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. People sporting gulaal on their cheeks to underscore their opposition to violence at protests. Blowing soap bubbles in the air and saying ‘Let’s chill out’. And placards referencing memes to make their point. Amidst the usual slogans of ‘ABVP, Go Back’ and ‘Hum kya chahte, Azaadi’, were some refreshing examples of protest through ingenuity and humour at the anti-ABVP march in the capital on Saturday.
@Shehla_Rashid sings John Lennon's 'Imagine' at anti-ABVP march - "Imagine there's no countries, Nothing to kill or die for..." @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/ZN0vJZF2T4
— Meghnad Bose (@MeghnadBose93) March 4, 2017
The ABVP protest on 2 March called itself a march to ‘Save DU from anti-nationals.’ In response to their charge, AISA’s Shehla Rashid used John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ to question the ABVP’s brand of nationalism.
These protesters are sporting gulaal on their cheeks. Why? Hear them out. @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/LsxcKZNW2y
— Meghnad Bose (@MeghnadBose93) March 4, 2017
Over the past fortnight, the Ramjas saga has witnessed one march after another. And more often than not, it’s the same old slogans and the same old lines on placards. So it’s refreshing to see posters with wit and wordplay once in a while.
The intended message is no laughing matter though. Says Akshay Shetty, one of the protesters with the ‘Yeh Bik Gayi Hai Gormint’ poster:
