Over 40 writers have returned their awards to the National Sahitya
Akademi over the ‘rising intolerance in India’. Returning an award appears to
be a grave act and implies crisis although it is a symbolic gesture. According to these writers, the intolerance is such that their freedom of speech and expression is under threat.
Mr. M M Kalburgi, a Kannada Poet was allegedly murdered by two men
in his house in Dharwad, Karnataka which gave rise to the discussions on ‘rising
intolerance in India’. Was this the first murder in independent India? Was
Kalburgi the first artist to have been murdered in India? If the response to
these questions is in negative, where does the question of intolerance arise?
It could be a ‘normal’ murder case, where the reasons are much more personal
than those having a national impact. Would it not be wise for the award
returnees to stay silent till the investigation and the subsequent court
proceedings are over?
Next incident which is seen as rise of intolerance is the
‘lynching’ of a man in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh by a mob of Hindus since he was
suspected to be eating beef. Whether the man was eating beef or not, murder in
broad daylight by a mob is unacceptable and the murderers should be punished by
Courts. India cannot accept the mob-culture and it must be turned down
appropriately. But can this murder of a man in Uttar Pradesh be seen as a
pan-India problem? The unfortunate incident took place in Uttar Pradesh, where
Akhilesh Yadav led SP Government is in power. Why then, are no fingers being
pointed at him for the lapse of his Government in maintaining law and order?
Nobody, in senses and sane mind has justified Dadri killing. In the Dadri case
as well, the probe is going on. Would making a murder case into regular news
item not amount to interference with the judicial process?
The third incident which is seen as a direct attack on the freedom
of speech and expression is the incident of black-painting the face of
Sudheendra Kulkarni by Shiv Sena activists in Mumbai before the book launch of
Khurshi Mahmud Kasuri, Former Pakistan Foreign Minister. Painting one’s face
black, just because he does something contrary to one’s wishes is unacceptable.
But what was Kulkarni doing in the first place? Book launch of a former
Pakistan Foreign Minister in Mumbai. Is the Shiv Sena not correct when it says
that book launches can happen, firstly let Pakistan probe into the 26/11 attacks
and punish the guilty? What has Pakistan done since 2008? Figures unambiguously
show that the ceasefire violations by Pakistan have not come down. As a matter
of fact, an Indian film ‘Phantom’ was banned by a Pakistan Court on a Petition
filed by Hafiz Saeed, one of the key conspirators behind the Mumbai Attack. I
don’t remember anyone standing up for Kabir Khan, director of the movie. Was it
not a case of violation of fundamental right of speech and expression? It is
understood that the ban was in Pakistan, but a statement could have come in
support of Kabir Khan, if the writers are solely concerned about the
infringement of freedoms.
I do not intend to divulge into the details of the politics behind
awarding these people in the first place and to decipher their political
affiliation and to understand whether the act of returning awards is due to
their political loyalty. Following link would suffice that purpose:
These incidents cannot be enlarged and seen as a mood of the
nation. Most certainly, it cannot be linked to the party in power. Sonia and
Rahul Gandhi met the President over ‘rising intolerance in India’. Were Sonia,
Rahul and all the writers returning awards deaf and dumb when the UPA
Government was at its tyrannical peek in the recent past by jailing every other
person for facebook posts disliked by them under the guise of Section 66A of
the IT Act? Was this not intolerance exemplified? The Government was
directly involved. There was absolute intolerance even to a facebook post. Why
was no protest staged then? Aseem Trivedi, a cartoonist was also arrested under
the same provision and he protested then. I don’t remember any of the award
returnees raising their voice then, in support of Trivedi.
The basic confusion that is being sought to be created is between
the ‘rising violence’ and ‘intolerance’. There is a very fine line of
distinction between the two and they cannot be equated. Intolerance is a state
where even a slight rift would convert people into rebels. What is on the rise
is violence and not intolerance. This occurrence of rising violence is global
and not restricted to India. Not that it doesn’t require attention, but
labeling violence as intolerance amounts to disrespecting all the peaceful
citizens. Has France been termed as an intolerant nation by their own media and
artists after the Charlie Hebdo shooting? No. The reason is that the killing
was singular and individualistic in nature, which cannot be generalized to be
read as intolerance in the nation. Is it not the same case with our Country?
Murders have happened, investigation is going on, criminal jurisprudence is
still relevant and Courts still exist to punish the guilty. What is the
difference this time around?
There is no intolerance, either religious or otherwise in India. A
country with a population of over 1.25 Billion is tolerant and sane. A couple
of incidents do not determine the mood of the nation. Those interested so
desperately into tasting the intolerance may visit a few of the neighboring
countries on the west and determine for themselves, if India is tolerant or
not. (They are not being asked to move to those countries. India would tolerate
their return as well.) Those journalists (read the one caught assaulting a mob
in New York and the one involved in Nira Radia tapes controversy) merrily
manufacturing the hoax of intolerance in India are not being harmed, which
itself shows that the nation is tolerant enough. The best the BJP can do is to
ensure that no stupid and insensible statements are made by their party
members. Even 1 such statement is portrayed as the stand taken by the whole of
the nation. Distancing and condemning such statements would not do much good.
This nation has endured numerous internal as well as external attacks, and will
stand this one too.
Jay Hind
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