CHENNAI: January 2017 began on a sombre note for Chennai and it fired up with the phenomenal Jallikattu protests that brought the attention of the world to the city. Fast forwards to eight months, Swapna Sundar, a Chennai-based lawyer and author has written a book, Occupy Marina that looks into the what, why and how behind the protest. Ahead of her discussion this Friday, in the presence of Justice Hariparanthaman, the judge who mediated between the administration and the protestors at Marina, we speak to the prolific author about the meaning behind the movement, and beyond Jallikattu.
“I am aware that there is a deficit of direct democracy in the country and this protest that took that challenge on,” she explains. Clarifying that she is, in fact not pro-jallikattu, she adds, “Jallikattu was just the umbrella issue. It was not the sole reason for why the people came out in protest. The issue of federal autonomy was very vocal.”
The book is strictly confined to the protest at the Marina, and all things surrounding it. The book questions the nature of the movement. Can protests be so joyful, with dance and music, and still be a protest? She explains the concept of ‘Occupy’ movements across the world. Why the word ‘occupy’? “Whenever people have found themselves in a place when democratic powers refused to listen, they came out like this, thanks to social media influence. There is no leader; they occupy a public space, they sing and dance — they just occupy the place,” she says, adding that such movements have happened in Wall Street, Tehrir Square and so on.
The Marina protest is known, among many other things, for the incredible unity and decency it displayed. “This was the most polite, constitutionally organised, self-governed, and self-respecting protest I’ve heard of in India,” she says. “Children and women were present, and there was no safety risk to anyone. There is a public health chapter in the book at the National Institute of Epidemiology Scientists that points out there was no public health risk. This was despite having no water or toilets.” she ponders.
Swapna also says she managed to get the stories from the first eight people who started the protest, sitting in front of the Vivekananda statue, and the last three people standing. “They told me about how they rushed and climbed the boats — it was all dramatic! It was interesting to listen to all the stories,” she says. From a couple who came all the way to Marina to deliver biscuit packets and a biriyani seller who gave free biriyani to the crowd — she has unearthed and recorded many stories in her book, thanking Emerald Publishers for helping her.
The author will be discussing her book on November 3 at Writer’s cafe. RSVP at swapna@ipdome.in