Burn effigies, cook food - Jaspal Bhatti’s style of protest

CHANDIGARH - Satirist-actor Jaspal Bhatti, in his unique style, now has a novel idea to get his message against price rise across in a lighter vein — he is suggesting people to burn effigies of the leaders and cook food on them.

“I urge all opposition parties and members of the public to cook their food by burning effigies of the government. With prices of all fuels, including cooking gas, beyond the means of the public, cooking food by burning effigies will be the cheapest mode,” Bhatti told IANS.

Bhatti and his ‘Nonsense Club’ members Sunday enacted a short skit here to highlight the plight of the common man after the latest hike in prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG cooking cylinders.

“If the government cannot give subsidy on LPG, it must announce sufficient subsidy on effigies. The government should promote effigy-making industry,” Bhatti said.

“There are thousands of protest rallies every day across the country against government policies or other issues. Effigy burning is an inherent part of such proceedings. If we harness that energy for cooking and other household uses, we can beat inflation to some extent,” he said.

Bhatti suggested: “People should do away with their gas stoves as it is impossible for a common man to afford an LPG cylinder priced at Rs.350. Housewives should burn effigies of the prominent leaders for everyday cooking.”

In his satirical style, Bhatti said the effigies of heavy-weight ministers could be burnt to generate more heat for cooking purposes.