Mashaal spearheaded the launch of this movement, as citizens who are incensed over the Mangalore pub attack and threats to Valentine's celebration feel strongly that they need to do something.
Young people expressed their fear of being attacked when going out with friends, or celebrating Valentines. They also emphasized that the growing attacks are not representative of Indian culture or any religious beliefs. They felt that political goondas were misusing religion and culture to simply bully innocent Indian citizens.
Mashaal has decided to combat this growing menace and hooliganism through a series of measures:
- Discussions with young people and students, focused on - the vision of India, communal harmony, Indian culture, personal freedom, and moral policing.
- Finding ways to tackle the bullying by the moral police by inviting ideas from young people all over India.
- Encouraging citizens to fight the cultural and moral police through non violent methods and idealogical debates.
I completely agree with your view point and I am sure that a lot of ppl do but they don't get the proper patform to express their views. Mashaal India seems to be a good initiative and it needs to be made more popular.
ReplyDeleteI read about Mashaal India in a local newspaper and that too on 15th Feb,09 and instantly I was like I have to join this movement. So, the first thing we should do is to get Mashaal India noticed by the ppl by some means.
So how does one get in touch with you ?
ReplyDelete(this is mine: 9890344649)
hi
ReplyDeletecongrats for starting blog, i support you fully
problem with us that people and media here are just discussing female beating, why dont you see that our fundamental rights are violated,
for that the debate should be there held who has given right to this talibani org. to make us moral slaves of there org.
nice blog
http://realityviews.blogspot.com
Very well said sm. Now a days, it has become a fashion to form a griop of 20-30 ppl and do whatever u want under the name of a region or religion...no political party even takes the connizance of such incidents....now the common ppl will have to come forward to stop this....
ReplyDeleteComing to the same question what Mukund asked -How to get in touch with you?
Message from Mashaal volunteers:
ReplyDeleteTo all those who asked how to get in touch with us, please email us at mashaalindia@gmail.com
We would include you in our Volunteer group.
This week we are migrating this blog to our own url: www.mashaalindia.com
Then we will announce our next campaign and all of you can help us to make this country free and secure.
Thanks.
What is Indian culture? A big question, who made this culture? An even bigger question?
ReplyDeleteIndian culture is the most dynamic and tolerant culture in the world. The culture of India has been shaped by the long history of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs, traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors as well as by preserving its ancient heritages, which were formed during the Indus Valley Civilization and evolved further during the Vedic age, rise and decline of Buddhism, Golden age, Muslim conquests and European colonization. India's great diversity of cultural practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennia. The various religions and traditions of India that were created by these amalgamations have influenced other parts of the world too. Cultures are made by people cultures don’t make people, and as Swami Vivekanand said “Change is the law of nature”
Hence when people change cultures change!
since olden times the Ganpati Visarjan is a very graceful and grand event where colourful and traditionally dressed people used to take eye catching processions and now English and bollywood songs are played at deafening high decibel levels is this not a change in culture. But the topic of debate which has brought the topic of culture is liberalization from old traditions and stepping into the globalized culture Mahatma Gandhi said “No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive” and Indian culture on the whole is based on the notion of accepting different cultures as on which we term today as the Indian culture, it is this characteristics which has made the Indian culture survive when all major civilizations have been reduced to history a couplet by Alama Iqabal defines the Indian civilization and culture beautifully “Mitt gaye misr, unan aur roma, phir bhi baki hai ab tak nishaan humara, kuch baat hai ki hasti mitt ti nahin humari sadiyon raha dushman dauron zamaan humara” but now some people without knowing about the real culture and heritage of India are trying to impose their radical thinking in the name protecting the Indian culture for gaining political mileage for their self interest , the media are calling them the moral police, they are terming expression of Love and liberalization and empowerment of women as anti Indian and against Indian culture, and some people have taken up on the task of opposing the Valentines Day to clean up Indian culture from indecency? I have some question to them, do they know Indian culture? Is corruption Indian culture? As a matter of fact it seems to. Is making little children beg on the streets Indian culture? Is filling brothels by forcing women from economically backward class Indian culture? Where are the so called moral police when so much against not just Indian culture but humanity at large is going on? The moral police are only one eyed people, they don’t want see these things they just want to train their guns on Women and Couples as they are soft targets, a blind man is better then them as at least he can make a full perception of things, according to them it is bad culture and indecency to hold hands when you walk in public, when one of the formal or informal wows of marriage and relationship is to hold hands forever. But it’s not bad to vote these people in power who actually are spoiling our culture, where is the real police in all these, we pay through our taxes to the police so that we can exercise our right to live freely and express our feelings freely. but the police have become no more then private security guards to the politicians who fuel the moral police to wield their baton to gain political mileage and suppress our very right for freedom of expression, how can they gain political mileage from these things, how can we Indians vote such groups to power, why cant we choose understanding persons as our leaders, how can a group of people threaten a whole community, the only difference between them and us is they are organized and we are not, lets stand up for our basic rights, lets fight for our rights because to fight is our right, there is a couplet in urdu "Dekhi na gayi mujh se andhero ki sarkashi, phir aftaab banke nikalna pada mujhe" (When I could not stand the arrogance of the darkness, I had to light up myself as the sun to spread the light) and it stands rightly for mashaal, too many candles have melted, now it is time light a mashaal, lets light up lets enlighten.
I totally agree with all you guys. We live in a democratic country, hence have certain rights, as citizens of this country, which are being taken away from us, all in the name of "preserving Indian culture". These moral police are no more than a bunch of jobless hooligans who, with the backing of our politicians, just want to cause havoc.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to stop them from RULING our lives and the way we live is if we, the educated lot, get together and fight for our rights and freedoms.
Hey people, I am Mahesh and I am very keen to see things moving by this initiative.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a real relief if we could change the way anti-social elements are using the 'culture tag' to promote their strength and gain political mileage. Mere publicity stunt is what I call it!
I hope things go well from here and we all get to see a real 'democratic' nation where people are free to express themselves and live the way they always wished to..
Hopeing for the best always...