Some teachers thought that history was a scoring subject because students could memorise facts and reproduce them. Many students disliked it because, unlike science- which was to be “understood”, history and sociology had to be felt, and hence remembered as a byproduct.

I liked history not because of the potential of scoring, but because of its relevance that was introduced by the teachers. We were told about protests not because there was a winning and a losing side, but because a protest meant collective power- the power to mobilise, express, think, feel, and raise a call to action.

I’ve had the privilege of being taught by educators who I feel have changed my life, and today, as an educator trying to add more than just academic knowledge to pass exams, I am writing this not just for self-expression, but sharing it with others-those I get to meet and interact with younger and older than me. The aim of sharing this piece is to make you think and be curious about what is happening, to talk about it today and later in the future and not forget it as an act of the past. 

The ongoing protest that started as a call to action for a single issue is bringing under its umbrella, more than just one concern. It’s picking up aspects and experiences that are beyond tolerance and can no longer be left to work out by themselves.

Before you term or label the movement as another “andolan”, please bear in mind that it’s a call to action by the youth. It’s not only about demands being fulfilled but also recognising the power of the collective-through a shared causes and voices.

Textbooks have housed battles, wars, the rise and fall of governments but somewhere along the way, the voices of the youth and what they stand for, seemed to have been misplaced. We studied nationalism in history, again not just as a singular movement but as a call to collective action in ways that people could join in and support it and make the movement bigger.

You may label the generations involved and their agendas, but historically the pattern has been the same. Each generation has been impacted by its socio-political atmosphere and context and has responded in ways that it could. The power of social media has allowed people from all across the country to be connected to a cause that impacts them, pains them, and hurts them not just in the present but also questions their future. The protest also highlighted the power of creative mediums as ways of expression and bringing change. Be it the placcards, signboards, attire, reels, posts, stories, letters, writeups, art work, slogans, they highlight the age-old mediums that brought about change and have the power to bring change. 

Don’t let your voice be silenced. 

I am reminded of Herbert Spencer, a sociologist, who wrote “Societies, like living bodies, begin as germs-originate from masses which are extremely minute in comparison with the masses some of them eventually reach”.  The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was mocked for its gathering and yet brought together people from different walks of life. 

Many are questioning the intention of CJP and whether it will eventually register as a political party. How about we also look at how the CJP arose, how it gave collective expression to a shared discomfort, and how it continues to raise questions, build support, and call for dialogue and discussion? 

We were told education is the only tool that can help in liberation- liberation from personal, financial, authoritarian struggles and bring in the glimmer of a promising future. Before you choose to verbally dismiss or condemn the collective action, try to remind yourself that this act of condemnation is not just for one protest-but also for collective action, hope for a better future, and change.

Don’t let your voice be silenced. Share. Express.