Slogans: Tool of Protest

 

Slogans: Tool of Protest

Likewise “Le Kar rahenge Azadi, Azadi, Azadi…” slogans have been echoed everywhere, nowadays, in India particularly in Universities, educational institutions, mass rallies who demonstrate after applying article 370, CAA etc. After getting freedom and emergency of 1970s’ “Sapurn Kranti” slogan, once more, the sound covered everyone’s life directly or indirectly. Can it call Protest against the practitioner of powers? Definitely it is. Let us understand what is mean of protest.

“Protest is an expression of bearing witness on behalf of an express cause by words or actions with regard to particular event, policies or situation” (Wikipedia).

 According to the said statement Protest is an expression against such policies or actions or situation. The policies, actions, situation are served by power holder institutions such as Religion, Politics, bureaucrats, Law makers, education etc. People gather together and demonstrate which one tool of protest is by saying their “strong disagreement, disapproval or opposition” (Cambridge Dict)

In every era / period, in Indian perspective, protest has been done. The protest is also should be resistance to upper class- caste, power holders by lower class-caste people. The various tools are used by practioners of protest such as literature, songs, culture, war, language etc. Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a great king of India, establish his kingdom by protesting his cotemporary kinship system.

Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Rahshri Shahu Maharaj, Saint Gadge Maharaj, Karmveer Bhaurao Patil , etc had done social reform in India particularly in Maharashtra. They have been protested against an evil system in Indian society. Therefore, the protest has been happened through the various tools in various institutions.

Likewise, the social reformation which is done in India, the political reformation is also done with a great impact of slogan in their movements.

Slogan is a literary device:

Slogans are one of the important tools for protest. It makes direct impact on the psyche of human mind. There is rhetorical function of slogan. Slogans, as a rhetorical device, have a rich history. They have provided historians with topical outlines of the major concerns, frustration, and hopes of society.

Slogans have ‘social symbols’ they have united, divided, and even converted. In so doing, slogans have become a direct link to social or individual slogan.(Robert Jr 1.)

Powerful slogans were become powerful tools for freedom fighters. Indian freedom fighters wanted to protest against British Rulers. The journey of freedom was beginning with the uprising of 1857 and India got freedom in 1947. The present paper will discuss the popular slogans between 1857 to 1947.

Inqilab Zindabad was most popular slogan used by Indian freedom fighters. The Meaning of Inqilab Zindabad is ‘Long Live Revolution’. This phrase actually translated meaning of Viva la revolucion. It was used in Mexican revolution during 1916-1920. It used to raise consciousness and fighting spirit to fight against British rulers in India. It was coined by the Urdu poet Maulana Hasrat Mohini, in 1921 and popularized by Bhagat Singh during the late 1920s. It became the official slogan of the Hindustan Socialist republican Association (H. S.R.A) as well as All India Azad Muslim Conference. In 8^th April 1929, B.K. Dutta and Bhagat Singh had shouted this slogan after bombing the Central Legislative Assemble in Delhi.

Do or Die. This slogan is proclaimed by Mahatma Gandhi. On the eve of 8^th August 1942 while addressing the congress delegates. The meeting of All India Congress Committee was held a meeting on 7^th august 1942 in Bombay. The prime movement in India Freedom history is “Quit India”, which is a strongest protest against the British Ruler. There the resolution was moved by Pt. Jawarlal Nehru & it was overwhelming with majority. The resolution declared that the immediate ending of the British rule in India as an urgent necessity. ‘Do or Die’ means ‘we shall either free India from British rules of die in the attempt to achieve this goal. It was a strong protest by Indian.

Jaihind: Jaihind originally means ‘Victory to India’. It was coined by Chempalaraman Pillai, who was a colleague of Subhash Chandra Bose in 1907. This term ‘Jaihind’ became popular as a slogan and greeting of the Indian National Army which was organized by Subhash Chandra Bose. Later, after the independence, it emerged as a national slogan and has been a common form of greeting the people of India by political leaders and prime ministers such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, etc. There is strength in that word to awake the people consciousness against the British ruler.

Purn Swaraj means “complete self-rule”. Even it was demand still it played vital role to create the background for fighting for freedom. Here the first time the protest was done for entire freedom. It boosted to protest against the British ruler. It is also, called ‘declaration of the independence of India’. It was promote by Indian National congress.

 

Reference:-

1)     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest

2)     https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/protest

3)     Robert E. Denton Jr.’s Article “The Rhetorical Functions of Slogans: Classifications and Characterisitcs”.

4)    Chandra, Bipin. “India’s Struggle for Independence: 1857-1947”(2009).