Click to play videoNew Delhi: Thursday's attack on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is the latest in a series of acts of public retribution. In 2009, Home Minister P Chidambaram was target of a shoe attack; journalist Jarnail Singh claimed he was upset at the Congress decision to allow Jagdish Tytler to contest elections. Singh eventually apologised.
Singh said, "I want justice but my way was wrong. I don't want any journalist to repeat my action. I don't want to provoke anyone else."
A steady sequence began thereafter. First Congress MP Naveen Jindal had a shoe hurled at him in April 2009. A few days later it was BJP leader LK Advani - a slipper hurled at him by a disgruntled party worker.
Two years later as corruption scandals peaked, a lawyer flung a slipper at former CWG head Suresh Kalmadi when he was being brought in for a hearing.
Soon shoe-throwing turned to more violent attacks. In October this year, Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan was beaten up in his chamber. Three youths from the so-called Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena claimed responsibility and stated they were upset with Bhushan's views on Kashmir.
Former telecom minister Sukhram was attacked inside the court complex a short while after he was pronounced guilty in a 1996 telecom scam.
The series of attacks have raised a twin question - are they about public anger at policy makers or are we becoming an intolerant, violent society.
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