Jignesh Mevani's Kodak moment in anti-BJP Independence Day rally at Shivaji Park

Jignesh Mevani near the Shivaji statue. Pic/Bipin Kokate

As the tricolour flew high across the city, and Mumbai woke up to a flurry of creative WhatsApp Independence Day messages, a group of activists and ordinary citizens raised a rallying cry of 'tiranga uthao, BJP Bhagao' on Wednesday afternoon.

They sought to justify the timing of their rally saying, "We are not party poopers, we are patriotic protesters, wanting to awaken the public to the perils of BJP rule," they said, as they gathered at the Shivaji statue at Shivaji Park.

Hate rules
Ravi Bhilane, organiser and part of the Lokanche Dost organization, a civil society group, said, "Lokanche Dost was founded in 1990, to awaken and enlighten people to various situations in the country at this very spot all those years ago." Bhilane claimed the atmosphere today is fraught with hatred, "The Bhima Koregaon riots are one example of the deep fissures appearing in our nation under BJP rule," he said, when asked for an example.

Women violence
For Devashala Giri, the trip from Badlapur to Shivaji Park, "was worth it even on a holiday to give voice to our opposition to the current rule." For Giri, it is the rising tide of violence against women, restrictions of what people can eat, and lynching that are top of the list of hate crimes in the current climate. When told that violence against women can happen under another government, too, she said, "It is the investigation process that inspires no confidence. Women feel they will not get justice and they are in fact more insecure than ever." Giri also scoffed at PM Narendra Modi's I-Day speech where he said that Indian women were making the country proud overseas. "Why doesn't the PM talk about the violence against them at home?" she asked.

The protesters slammed demonetization, "where nothing was achieved, no answers are given and people lost their livelihood," and the fact that, "supporters of the Unnao and Kathua rapists were carrying the tricolour was the biggest insult to our national flag."

No fashion
Even as Shivaji Park joggers, (there were many because of the holiday and relatively cool weather that the showers had brought about) looked on startled, loud cries rent the air about who the real 'anti-nationalists' were: the BJP Govt, shouted the protesters. When told that many believed that going against the government was merely a fashionable thing to do, Giri replied angrily, "We are ordinary people, we are concerned about lighting the gas and cooking food tomorrow, we have no time for fashion-bishan."

For participant Firoze Mithiborwala, "We are not living in normal times. Top media persons have themselves admitted that certain sections of the media seem to have been "compromised" and the top judiciary is under attack. We have never before seen an India like this, today the Re is 70 to the dollar and some supporters of this government claim it is good!"

Jai Ho Foundation, a non-profit working for peace was represented by founder Afroz Malik who added that "to be silent was to be complicit in the actions of this government."

Mevani moment
The police kept order as protester, Sanjay Shinde, gave a speech, urging the crowd to come together. "Five years have gone by and the murderers of Narendra Dhabolkar have still to be caught. We need to speak out, else, what is the meaning of freedom?" As Shinde spoke, poster boy Jignesh Mevani, the anti-Modi Gujarat politician, arrived. The press went into a frenzy. Mevani asked why, "so many farmers are committing suicides in India? Why was the PM following those who had insulted and abused (slain journalist) Gauri Lankesh? Why is he silent on lynching? What about those who have lost their livelihood because of demonetisation?" Mevani was asked about PM Modi's I-Day speech.

"He did not disappoint with the same 'jhumla'" said the young man. The protesters brushed off the small numbers saying they had pulled out the ace in their pack - Jignesh Mevani.

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