WHAT HAVE you done Munnabhai? The entire city seems to have dropped Gandhi and picked up Gandhigiri!
Munnabhai-II entertained us with Gandhigiri, but city's streetsmart boys are forcing it on us like dadagiri. The Munnabhai-itis is catching up faster than influenza. But, who cares?
Medicos march out in Gandhi topis to nurse trees. Students slip into Gandhi gear to lodge an unconstitutional protest against Supreme Court poll guidelines. Resident satyagrahis try to outweigh district administration's no to holding Devi Jagaran near Rana Pratap Marg with 180 kgs of flowers. But, district bosses dismiss it as a flowery duragraha. And it goes on. Former Lucknow University V-C Roop Rekha Verma lodges her rosy protest against Gandhi abusers. So, does she support Gandhigiri?
“Let me be very clear on this. I am for Gandhi and not Gandhigiri. In yesterday's protest, I found many publicity-hungry people chasing Gandhi. I decided not to go along with them further. Gandhigiri has become a tool in the hands of kidnappers and murderers. Gandhism is in danger. The term neta stands for a leader but netagiri only conveys high-handedness. The same for Gandhigiri.”
This is getting serious now. Let's see what divisional commissioner RK Mittal has to say about it.
“Gandhigiri is the outcome of a cheap commercial mindset. Gandhi stands for satyagraha and ahimsa, but Gandhigiri stands for duragraha and himsa,” he says and adds, “I don't appreciate it. Let's keep away from streetsmart Gandhi posturing. Imbibe Gandhi, but throw out Gandhigiri.”
{{/usCountry}}“Gandhigiri is the outcome of a cheap commercial mindset. Gandhi stands for satyagraha and ahimsa, but Gandhigiri stands for duragraha and himsa,” he says and adds, “I don't appreciate it. Let's keep away from streetsmart Gandhi posturing. Imbibe Gandhi, but throw out Gandhigiri.”
{{/usCountry}} And what does the local Gandhi (Jagdish Gandhi, founder of CMS) say?
“What is Gandhigiri? It's not Gandhi vichardhara… Hey Ram! They are trying to drag Gandhi's name through the mire. Dadagiri, bhaigiri, gundagiri and now Gandhigiri-it sounds quite derogatory. Gandhiji must be feeling as if caught among a million villains. They have replaced ji and suffixed Gandhi with an ignoble giri… Don't let the ji vanish so easily,” pleads Gandhi.
“What shall future generations understand about Gandhiji if such slangs gained currency?” fears an English teacher Abhijit Chatterjee. “But, sir, what's wrong with the term?” questions a group of students and the teacher replies, “Negative connotations are picked up faster. We talk about Gandhism with reverence. But, we would never ever be able to glorify Gandhigiri. Can you ever say Gandhism = Gandhigiri?”
“Remember! Gandhiji always experimented with truth. But, what are we doing? Experimenting Gandhi on the street?” argues an 80-year-old Akhandananda Saraswati.
So, let's send Munnabhais back to their chawls before their Gandhigiri bullies Bapu out of context, suggests he. Now, what say you? Down with Gandhigiri or want to be down with Munnabhai-itis!
Choose fast or you would find yourself in an Anupam Kher-like plight and cry Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.