The rating of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is falling after the shoe-gate recently and the punishment meted out to the youth who threw a shoe at him.
less than a fortnight after a youngster hurled a slipper at him, so many people are following his footsteps by flinging footwear at his photographs accepting, what is named as “Jutti Challenge”.
The cyber space is, in fact, virtually flooded with video clips of people marching ahead in rebelliousness by tossing footwear at the five-time Chief Minister.
The clips come at a time when the SAD-led Punjab Government is making eager attempts to salvage its image following not-so-impressive performance in the lok Sabha polls.
Taking a cue from the ice bucket challenge started to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (AlS) disease, the Jutti Challenge was started by an NRI Jodhbir Singh in support of Bikram Singh — 23-year-old jobless youngster, who hurled a shoe at Badal during an Independence Day function.
The challenge was aimed at creating awareness regarding Bikram Singh who hurled a jutti (shoe) at Badal “to put emphasis on unemployment and struggling young individuals who are looking for jobs”. Bikram is currently in jail under various charges.
Hitting hard, the people from all walks of life, and irrespective of their age and gender, are accepting the challenge to post their videos online showing them giving Badals the ‘jutti’ as a way to protest against the current state of affairs in the State.
The challenge has received attention not only in Punjab or India, but also among Punjabi NRIs across the world who have been posting their videos quite consistently on Facebook.
The videos have gone viral in the virtual world, including the Whatsapp messenger. The Facebook page — Jutti Muhim, Vikram di support wich…main Vikram haan (I am Vikram) — has 5,512 members including Punjab Congress MlA and party’s national secretary Kuljit Singh Nagra, Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate from Anadpur Sahib and renowned advocate Himmat Singh Shergill, senior advocate and AAP’s Punjab unit’s spokesperson HS Phoolka, Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon, Punjab former DGP Shashi Kant, among others.
The page, in Punjabi, says, ‘Jutti muhim’, in Vikram’s support...”I am also against the system…Punjab has Rs 98,000 crore’s loan…48 lakh unemployed…70 per cent youth in drugs…More than 10,000 farmers died after inhaling sprays of pesticides…Industry stalled!! You go and fight over golaks. Are you with meIJIJ”
It added, “Every Punjabi’s shoe is heating up to support Bikram’s release. let’s all come together and save our unemployed brother and tell him that he is not alone in this problem. All Punjabi, residing in every corner of the world, is with him.”
The challenge was accepted by the Punjabi community worldwide and so far more than 100 people have accepted this challenge and sent their videos throwing shoe on Badal’s pictures in support of Vikram.
In one of the video, a toddler from Australia sitting at a laptop, showing images of Badal, was shown hitting on the screen after being encouraged by his mother. Another shows a young Sikh boy from Australia, hitting at Badal’s picture on the tablet-phone.
After the male followers started uploading their videos, Punjabi women have also come forward to express their participation in this campaign as well. If that is not enough, ‘Jutti Challenge’ game has also been invented, and is available on the Google Play.