Shoe throwing: A new form of political protest

16 August, 2010

The moot question is why demonstrators are using this new weapon on politicians? If people want to show the world leaders, how they are performing, is this an effective way to show resentment?

AFTER AN Iraqi journalist became an international sensation by hurling his shoes at former US President George Bush in a press conference, shoe-throwing it seems has assumed an established form of political protest.

In India, a senior journalist Jarnail Singh kicked off the trend by throwing a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram. And surprisingly both these journalists were flooded with gifts, cash and even marriage proposals.

Politicians, who have faced the shoe throwing protests in one form or the other include Home Minister P Chidambaram, Congress MP Naveen Jindal, BJP leader L K Advani and the latest entrant to this elite group is Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The moot question is why demonstrators are using this new weapon on politicians? If people want to show the world leaders, how they are performing, is this an effective way to show resentment?

In my view, demonstrators have invented the weapon in distrust and rage. But, all such incidents of shoe throwing attract immediate media attention.

People in India are tired of hunger strikes, rallies, court cases etc but our politicians have failed to read the riot act and they offer no solution to the myriad problems of the people.

They are too busy in vote banks policies. They should also think that their actions are going to be scrutinised in public. Shoe-throwing is a real expression of the disappointment of the people.

Throwing a shoe at someone or showing the sole of a shoe is considered a sign of disrespect throughout Middle East and South Asia. Politicians have to consider that people are at loss what to do. For too long they are hoping that things will improve and progressive leaders will work for the betterment of people, but to no avail.

No one in India has yet been jailed for shoe throwing. Like others world leaders the Indian politicians have all managed to dodge the footwear missiles. Time might come when people will be asked to come without footwear to political rallies and even press conferences.

It is high time politicians reassess the situation and understand the reasons and implications of these shoe-throwing incidents. If ordinary men and women are ready to throw a shoe, it is possible that they could think of going further and take up arms to press home their point and that could prove fatal.