World Feasts on Cockroachmeme Fiesta
Gen Z protesters give police excesses a meme makeover, add humour, satire and smiles to their anger and sufferings, win hearts and global accolades
Humour has always been part of protest movements. But the Indian Gen Z have taken it to another level at the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest across the country. Undeterred by the police lathi-charge, rain, tear gas, and blocked internet services, they have tapped into the power of laughter!
Humour In Uniform
Hundreds of reels and first-person dispatches of police excesses and government pressure have turned into meme makeovers on Instagram and Facebook. Reels of police chases became live ‘fitness checks’ with Chadk de India and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag scores. NEET-ly attired Spider-Man, Batman and Superman gave tips on how to dodge police batons, pellets and water cannons. Gen Z’s Brave beauty facials, Subway Surfers, Cockroach Crawlers all helped ease the tension. They flashed ‘V’ Victory signs. Exchanged roses and heart emojis for police batons. And within minutes, the entire world became a well-connected Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Sanskrit phrase: the world is one family).
“Satire can be one of the most powerful languages in times of dissent,” says Vilas Deshmukh, a political observer and sociologist. Today’s youngsters know the power of social media. “In this case, the youngsters have clearly flipped the social media game.
The whole world is now keenly watching the CJP protests and the government’s response.”
Visual Storytelling
Unlike the older generation, Gen Z are digital natives. They know the significance of viral trends, memes and sardonic humour. One click, and your meme can reach millions of people across the world in a jiffy. The photo of a masked girl carrying a placard saying, “U F***ed With The Wrong Generation” has suddenly become the world’s most popular slogan. Overnight, T-shirts and caps have flooded the streets. There is another viral video of a 20-something girl all dressed up, smiling into the camera, saying, “Aa rahi hu police se maar khane (Getting ready to get beaten by cops).”
The use of irony is everywhere. News channels across the world are broadcasting the viral image of a rain-soaked Rhiya Ahir, a young girl from Mumbai blocking a police van carrying students. “The cops aren't doing their job rightly. If they won’t be responsible, then we will take responsibility for our citizens,” she thundered, while stopping the police van near Shivaji Park, Mumbai. A young Delhi student recorded the entire cop chase on his mobile, calling it a real-time ‘fitness check’. He even shared details of the run time, pulse rate, etc.
Genuine Concerns
The students are livid over the repeated leaks of NEET exam papers, rising unemployment and the lackadaisical approach of the government. They demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, `1 crore compensation to the families of the students who died after the paper leaks and a complete overhaul of the competitive examination system.
“To ignore the voices of India’s angry youth and instead label them as ‘anti-nationals’, ‘CIA agents’, ‘goons’, a ‘violent mob’ and use police force to subdue them is a grave mistake,” says a senior lawyer from the Supreme Court. “The only way forward is an honest dialogue.”
No Laughing Matter
The zoomers have captured their collective angst and pain through humorous reels and memes to expose an ugly truth. A caption on a viral meme video made by a student on Instagram reads: “Today, we rang Parliament’s doorbell and ran.” To dismiss it as ‘frivolous’ or ‘teach them a lesson’ through brutal force would be the biggest mistake. Because the joke is on you then!
