Political Diary
New
Delhi, 30 January 2018
Culture of Protests
PSEUDO UNITY IN
DIVERSITY!
By Poonam I Kaushish
How
hypocritical is Mera Bharat Mahan. In
a week when India celebrated its 68th Republic Day drumbeating Unity
in Diversity and on a day we remember the apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi,
conflict of interests are masquerading as a contest of principles and
intolerance and violence is increasingly becoming the rhetoric of the times. Welcome
the Ugly Intolerant Indian!
Witness the spree of
violent protests, torching buses, pelting stones, burning posters and
vandalizing property which surfaced in Rajasthan, UP, MP, Gujarat, Haryana, Goa
and Jammu against the release of movie Padmaavat.
Underscoring the discourse is not only becoming increasingly rabble
rousing, abusive and devoid of any substance but also tilted towards widening
the caste divide.
The
film’s release has been caught in the middle of a controversy after right-wing
groups protested against it alleging historical inaccuracies, showing the Queen
in bad light and defaming Rajputs. A classic case of “ideological intolerance”
by fringe Hindutva brigands led by the Rajput Karni Sena which delayed its
certification and exhibition.
Forcing
the Supreme Court’s intervention which refused to entertain fallacious pleas
against its release by Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat citing
law and order problem and risk to public peace by setting aside the States
notifications banning the film’s exhibition.
Said
the Court, “Creative freedom,
freedom of speech and expression can’t be guillotined... artistic freedom is
sacrosanct, it should not be ordinarily interfered with and has to be
protected. By that token 60% of classical literature cannot be read.”
Blistering comments which strip India of all balance and open-mindedness.
Raising
a moot point: What is about the film that it needs to be banned? How does
exercising one’s freedom of ingenuity and expression tantamount to distorting
history and spreading “hatred”? Are the Hindutva fringe elements crushing free
expression, suppressing debate and dissent which are essential pre-requisites
of creative and thinking minds?
Pertinently, the film
has been mired in controversy over the last six months resulting in the Censor
Board appointing a panel of historians to look into the claim that the film
contained historical inaccuracies. It was finally cleared with a few changes on
the condition that the title be changed from Padmavati to Padmaavat to
align it closer to its source material, 16th century poem by Malik Muhammad
Jaisi.
Questionably, should
the Supreme Court be entertaining and pontificating on frivolous pleas like a
Bollywood movie’s release? Aren’t there more pressing issues awaiting redress?
Constitutional matters, laws, crime etc? As it stands over 13 lakhs cases are
pending in various courts across the country.
True it is the
State’s duty and obligation to maintain law and order, but not direct its
entire police force to ensure theatres where the movie is being screened are
not vandalized? Isn’t protecting citizens from crime, rape and violence more
vital?
Obversely, how does
exercising one’s freedom of expression tantamount to distorting history? Why
are we so intolerant? Have we lost the ability to accept criticism? Bordering
on a narcissist phobia? Are we so paranoid that any act of laughter, joke, film
or perceived bigotry is viewed as twisting facts?
Importantly, are
threats, fear and coercion the new grammar of Naya Bharat’s political ecosystem? Is it a coincidence that
violence erupted only in BJP-ruled States? Is the Party and its Hindutva
brigade allergic and fanatical about what they perceive as correct history and
abhorrent about a contrary view? Is it afraid of a clash of ideas in our public
life?
Certainly, this is
not the first time that noises have been made by narrow sectarian groups. Many
movies have been attacked for hurting sentiments of particular ethnic groups or
castes, religious communities by protesters who seem to appear out of nowhere.
Often accusations are off-the-mark, downright absurd or an attempt to squeeze
money from the film company.
In this all pervasive
decadence, interspersed with growing public cynicism there seems nothing to cry
a halt to this depravation. Specially against the backdrop of State Governments
abdicating their duty of maintain law and order, instead being silent
bystanders. Given that our polity who are sultans of the swing in sentiments
mull over what would politically earn them brownie points. Here, the feelings
of the Rajput community living in their States. Be it the BJP, Congress and
Left who revel in joining any controversial melee.
Obviously, with
elections to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh slated this year it suits
the Government to pander to their caste vote banks. For radical outfits popular
movies are like marketing balloons, to which they cling, flying to the heights of
undeserved and short-lived fame. Till now nobody had heard of the Karni Rajput
Sena.
Undoubtedly,
cut-throat casteism is at work. Whereby, these rabid outfits with the backing
of our netas have made castes the tour de force of politics. With every
leader propounding his self-serving recipe of ‘caste’ harmony: To keep gullible
vote-banks emotionally charged so that their ulterior motives are served. Never
mind, the nation is getting sucked into the vortex of centrifugal bickerings.
Totalling cultural
terrorism. Recall, Tamil Nadu banned noted actor-director Kamal Hasan’s 100
crores magna opus Viswaroopam which dealt with terrorism on the fallacious
ground it would hurt the sentiments of ‘unknown’ Muslim groups and could create
a law and order problem. And the Shiv Sena forced cancellation of Pakistani
Ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concert in Mumbai and its cadres disrupted a BCCI
meeting for reviving Indi-Pak cricket ties.
Clearly, India is in
the grip of self-styled chauvinism and cultural dogmas wherein films, writers,
intellectuals, historians or hoi polloi are soft targets with imprudent
reactions taking over debates and calibrated decisions. Life is lived in the slim strip called the
official and every joke, wit, satire or defiance treated as a monster. Big deal
if this makes public discourse impoverished and toothless.
As blinkered,
dogma-ridden debates rage on it marks a dangerous political trend of
intolerance vis-à-vis freedom of
expression and personal choices. If this trend goes unchecked society will get
dangerously dogmatic and fragmented. Simultaneously, our polity with politics
and polls only on their agenda must desist from playing with fire and instigate
their vote bank.
Alongside,
communities have to more broad minded and open to contrary opinion. The BJP
must rein in its ‘fringe’ elements who feel emboldened with a majority
Government at the Centre. Our leaders need to remember India was conceived as a
democratic rather than majoritarian country wherein all citizens have certain
basic rights.
The message has to go
out clearly that no person or group can threaten violence, and if they do, they
lose their democratic right to be heard. India could do without those who
distort politics and in turn destroy democracy and laughter. It’s time to control
the hate mongers who are aiding divisions among people on creed lines and blunt
them. Moreover, they are antithetical to hope of narrowing India’s burgeoning
caste-religious divide, thereby unleashing a Frankenstein.
In sum, our netas and their affiliates will probably
win the electoral battle but they need to pause and look at the ashes of
history they leave in the wake of their siege post Padmaavat. Undeniably, those who reduce discourse to such low depths
only do so at the cost of exposing their lack of civility to the electorate and
nation at large leaving India dangerously intolerant and violence-prone. What
gives? ---- INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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