Peace call goes viral: ‘I am an Indian & I don’t hate Pakistan’

'Armchair activism isn't a bad word any more. In fact, there's nothing beyond its scope if people decide to sit on a chair and raise their virtual voice. The recent instances of hate against Pakistan and the Shiv Sena-imposed extra-egal ban on artistes, writers and sportspersons from across the border has triggered a spontaneous online campaign that has spurred support beyond boundaries and could hold a lesson for politicians. #ProfileForPeace is a hashtag campaign that has won hearts and minds and gone viral overnight on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with thousands of Indians from Kerala to Kashmir and Pakistanis from Lahore to Karachi as well as those living in the US, UK and UAE changing their profile pictures to one with a little love note scribble that says where they are from, that they don't hate each other, and are only being divided by hate politics...

The campaign was started by 36-year-old Bandra-based Ram Subramanian, who calls himself an artivist. He was riled by recent incidents of Pakistani artistes being banned and shunned by Sainiks in Mumbai. "It had been brewing in my head ever since I heard of a series of bans and attacks. Most of us common blokes don't feel such hate nor want these fights. And when you close the doors to art you open up a door for dark and unwanted things to come in," he said...'