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Intolerant India
Seema Sinha, TNN Jul 3, 2011, 12.40pm IST
The brutal killing of crime reporter Jyotirmoy Dey and the death in exile of celebrity artist MF Husain raise serious questions about rising intolerance in India.
Be it the rights of an artist, author, filmmaker, journalist, or the civil society, mocking freedom of speech and expression has increased considerably with several groups claiming moral custody of the entire nation. Is this the emerging India of the 21st century?
Attack mode
Three journalists were killed and 14 attacked in a span of six months; fearing a law and order problem, artist Nalini Malani voluntarily shifted her paintings to galleries in Paris; Mumbai University succumbed to protests by the Shiv Sena and hurriedly withdrew Rohinton Mistry's book Such A Long Journey from the curriculum; religious leaders issued fatwas targeting Muslim women; a violent mob attacked theatres ahead of the release of My Name Is Khan and after attacks on pubs and girls, Sri Ram Sene now opposes appointment of women in bars, disrespecting the Women Empowerment Act. These incidents show the shrinking space of democracy and freedom of expression in India in the recent past.
Unity in diversity?
Experts believe that in a complex, multicultural, diverse and heavily populated nation as ours, there is bound to be some amount of intolerance. Points out Pavan Verma, writer-diplomat, "There can never be a black-and-white picture as India is not a black-and-white civilisation." However, sociologist and author Dipankar Gupta is of the belief that India has always been intolerant, "We don't accept different ideas, our minds are closed to those who are not like us. We lack empathy and the government too doesn't want to act."
People power
Some time ago in Mumbai, 10 prominent artists came together with installations and paintings on the theme of freedom of expression and right to dissent. Interestingly, artist Tushar Joag, in a 'live' installation, locked himself in a small cubicle, simulating a prison cell, for five days during which he filled notebooks with the line, "I will not lose faith in the Indian judiciary and democracy". "Today, many art galleries shy away from exhibiting works that may attract controversy," says Geeta Seshu, a senior journalist and co-ordinator of the free speech hub, an initiator of the media watch site The Hoot. Remarks veteran artist Akbar Padamsee, "Goondaism is on the rise. The government's allowing an army of fundamentalists to exist is itself illegal."
Neither here nor there
Hatred, prejudice, a feudal mindset, caste politics, discrimination against poor and minorities have got worse over the last two decades, say social activists. "Even the number of liberals within the minority is going down. We are still in the medieval age," asserts Delhibased social activist Shabnam Hashmi. Comments Anand Patwardhan, filmmaker and social activist, "We have failed to live up to the words secular and democracy, which are part of our Constitution. There is a constant attempt to stifle a secular voice." Adds filmmaker Paromita Vohra, "Any commitment to the idea of diversity has been lost. We are only promoting money, power and supremacy." Renowned writer Javed Akhtar attributes the rise of religious intolerance to the Babri Masjid-Ayodhya issue and the Shah Bano case. "They say Islam is in danger because of Taslima Nasreen and Hinduism is in danger because of M F Husain...Making anti-national anti-Hindu, anti-Muslim remarks has become fashionable. Ironically, those who do it are convinced that it is their moral duty. The trend is very dangerous," says Javed.
Sociologist Ranjana Subberwal cites the Gulf war, the 9/11 terror attacks and the Babri Masjid episode as the three turning points that made us more intolerant. She believes Indians may be groping for an identity in the new world. "It is a worldwide phenomenon. We are lost in the mass culture. There is complete turmoil with no definition of right or wrong and people are aggressively pursuing religion, giving rise to more fundamentalism," says Ranjana. Agrees psychoanalyst Ashis Nandy, "Old trends are collapsing and new trends have not yet crystallised. People in large democracies feel they are neither here nor there."
Yes, we ban!
Fatwas issued by various Muslim religious groups curbing the rights of Muslim women is another area of glaring intolerance. Says Haseena, a member of Awaaz-E-Niswan, "Fatwas not allowing us to work and earn our livelihood, or a male member accompanying us when we step out of the house and curbs on our dressing. Religious groups dominate and women buckle under pressure." Violence and intolerance are also widespread within the sexual minority. Chayanika Shah, member of Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action (LABIA), laments, "When the community is intolerant towards even religious and inter-caste marriages, how can my rights be protected?" Gay filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan's film The Pink Mirror remains banned in India because of its homosexual content. One recalls the opposition to screening of the film Fire (film on lesbian relationship caused by two unhappy marriages) despite the Censor Board certifying it. "Why does the State have to wait for vandalism to happen?" questions Chayanika. She adds, "There is fear... the State allows it and so do we."
Intolerant India? - Times Of India
