Frontline, Feb. 13-26, 2010
by K.N.PANIKKAR
The impact of growing religiosity and the inadequacy of secular practices demand close attention in assessing the state of secularism in India.
AFP/FILES
Gandhiji at Delhi’s Purana Qila where Muslim refugees prepare to depart for Pakistan, on September 22, 1947. His assassination by a Hindu fanatic was a setback to secularism.
SECULAR India has undergone several convulsions during the past 60 years, so much so that doubts about its survival were entertained by many. Some of them tend to relate these convulsions to the nature of Indian society, to which they attribute centrality to religion in both personal and public affairs. In such a society, it has been argued, secularism can only have a perilous existence, that too by compromising some of its basic tenets. This view has received academic respectability and political support: the former from those who had no faith in the ability of Indian society for institution building and the latter from those who were inimical to secularism as a political creed.
The scepticism about secularism has only increased in recent times. The defenders of secularism are shrinking and some of them are exploring conditions beyond secularism. The weaknesses of secular practices add fuel to the fire: they confirm the doubts about the relevance of secularism in Indian conditions. At the same time, the unprecedented popularity that religiosity has gained has pushed secularism to the backyard. In assessing the state of secularism today, the impact of growing religiosity as well as the inadequacy of secular practices demand close attention.
Concept of Secularism
All debates about secularism in India occur in the context of the European experience. The church-state relationship, which was central to the development of secularism in Europe, is the starting point of all discussions, both by supporters and by critics of secularism. For the consideration of the Indian situation it is a red herring. What is important in India is not church-state dynamics but state-society relationship and, more specifically, being a multireligious society, relations within society.
The Indian notion of secularism, based on uniform respect for all religions by the state and divorce of religion from public institutional practices, was evolved in the context of this Indian social reality. The obsession with the European experience overlooks the historicity of the Indian phenomenon. The process of secularisation is not necessarily similar in all societies. But all societies, including India, have undergone the process of secularisation at the onset of modernity. The European experience is important, as it was the earliest manifestation, but it does not connote that what happened in other societies is its mirror image.
When this process began in India would be difficult to locate with certainty, but the historical antecedents in which the process is rooted can be traced to fairly early times, possibly to the period of the Buddha. Let it not be misunderstood that what is suggested is that secularism existed at the time of the Buddha, but that Buddhism and the Bhakti movement and other churnings within different religions, being critiques of the then existing religious practices, created the space for secularism to emerge at a later time. Its modern form, however, found articulation and momentum during the course of the 19th century when humanism, rationalism and religious universalism provided the intellectual base for a secular discourse. The Indian Constitution internalised the logic of this discourse to shape it as secular in practice, although the concept of secularism was neither included nor elaborated in the Constitution until a later date. What imparted this character to the Constitution was, at least partly, the historical experience of Indian society.
Whether this concept – popularly described as sarva dharma samabhava – was adequate to ensure a secular state has been a subject of considerable debate. The equal attitude towards all religions does not make the state secular; on the other hand it might implicate the state in religious matters. This fear is not misplaced, as during the past 60 years, in the name of impartiality, the state had to associate itself with almost all religions. The consequence was not the equidistance of the state from all religions, but the involvement of the state in the concerns of all religions. Moreover, the state succumbed to the pressures of all religions. Therefore, instead of being secular the state and its apparatuses were mired in religious matters. Jawaharlal Nehru tried to resist this deviation and kept aloof from participating in religious ceremonies. The then President, Rajendra Prasad, did not uphold that principle and attended the consecration of the newly constructed Somnath temple, to the great chagrin of the Prime Minister. Nehru’s legacy was also not owned by his successors, who in their quest for electoral support compromised the state with the demands of religious leaders. The worst phase was the period of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute when the Prime Minister appeared to bend over backwards to appease religious leaders. Unless the state remains secular, society can never preserve its secular character. With the decline in the commitment of the state to secularism during the post-Nehru era, secular space in society became progressively smaller, which was eventually colonised by communalism.
Impact of Communalism
What affected the secular character of Indian society most decisively was the intervention of Hindu communalism, which has a long history dating to the 18th century even though riots became frequent only during colonial rule. By the 20th century, communalism had made inroads among both Hindus and Muslims, considerably undermining the secular ethos in society and, finally, leading to Partition. The assassination of Mahatma Gandhij by a Hindu fanatic was a severe setback to secularism. After this Hindu communal organisations were rather dormant, which, however, did not mean they were inactive. The Gandhi assassination did not dampen their spirits, and under the leadership of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) they soon regrouped and reinvigorated their cultural work and physical training.
The communal organisations were aware that communalism could thrive only by undermining secular consciousness. As a result, the main thrust of the communal agenda was to eliminate the fairly powerful secular hegemony present in most domains. The communal attack on secularism was, therefore, intended to delegitimise it, accusing it of being an alien ideology without roots in Indian soil. Moreover, secular activists were physically intimidated and secular artists and intellectuals were defamed. The purpose was to ensure that the public prestige and acceptability that secularism enjoyed was tarnished so that communalism could occupy the secular space. The campaign was not without any impact. In the face of communal aggression, secularism considerably lost out politically in the 1990s. Martha Nusbawm, an American scholar, observed that during this period India slipped into religious terrorism but managed to slip out of it. This ‘escape’ from the possible continued communal subjection was mainly, though not exclusively, because of the strength of its secular tradition.
Secularism and Communal Harmony
Secularism in India is used as a synonym for communal harmony and religious togetherness. For long, Indian society had a reputation for collaboration and accommodation. The history of India bears testimony to this social condition in which Indians lived for centuries.
They not only shared material resources, but often worshipped the same deity. Hindus and Muslims contributing to the maintenance of each other’s shrines is a fairly widespread phenomenon. In a village in Marathwada where there are no Muslims, the Dargah of a Sufi saint is maintained by Hindus. At Bababudangiri in Karnataka, both Hindus and Muslims worshipped the same saint under different names. The now-popular Hindu shrine of Sabarimala in Kerala has a Muslim ‘deity’ whom all devotees of the Hindu god invariably worship. Although Hindus have now appropriated the Sai Baba of Shirdi, nobody is sure whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. This mutual relationship is based not on tolerance but on respect for and belief in each other’s faith. Such practices and perspectives were shared by the high and the low – from the rulers to the peasants in the villages.
Communal harmony, however, is not secularism; communal harmony can only be an outcome of secularism, which is a condition in which religion, like any other faith, is a purely personal affair of the individual. It should not intervene in interpersonal relationships or institutional functioning. If secularism is to be a reality, therefore, it is not sufficient to have a secular state, there must also be a secular society. If the society is not secular the state is likely to depart from secular principles, as happened on several occasions during the past 60 years.
The greatest success of communalism has been to vitiate human interpersonal relations in society into a religious relationship, which affected the secular ethos adversely. Social relations thus came to be guided not by secular considerations but by religious identity. The 60 years of experience indicates that the secular character of the Indian state and society has declined steadily.
Religionisation and Secularism
A major and discernible change during the past 60 years has been the rapid religionisation of society. Traditionally, religious rituals were confined to temples, where devotees congregated, or to homes, in which family members participated. Religion is now out in the open, with religious celebrations being conducted in public places and religious processions of all communities crowding the roads with music and fanfare. The improvement in technology has facilitated pilgrimages, and a secular enterprise like tourism has come to be linked with places of religious worship. The resulting commodification of religion is a spectacular change, which has led to the growth of pilgrimage tourism as an industry. As a result, the popular aphorism that India is a religious country does not need much convincing, particularly with the proliferation of meditation centres and godmen. The places of worship have not lagged behind; in fact, the increase in their number is phenomenal. The most saleable commodity in India today is religion.
It is arguable that belief in religion is not antithetical to secularism, if the character of secularism in a multireligious society is essentially communal harmony. It is a common argument that all true believers are secular in outlook and hence do not entertain animosity towards the followers of other religions. This may as well be true. But secularism is not communal harmony; communal harmony is the outcome of secularism. It is, therefore, imperative to explore what constitutes secularism as an ideology beyond harmony.
The real foundation of secularism is poised on a triad consisting of humanism, rationality and universalism. Most religions propound humanism and universalism, but rationality is alien to religion because the essential features of religion are based on faith. Moreover, rituals and superstition derive their legitimacy from religion, and division between religions is marked by religiosity. As a result, religiosity acts as an impediment to secular practice.
A weakness of Indian secularism is that its goal is limited to communal harmony. Even Gandhiji, perhaps the most committed exponent of harmony, could not succeed in his life mission of Hindu-Muslim unity because his passionate efforts were not backed by a secular foundation in society. Given this historical experience, secularism had to be reinvented in post-Independence India. The possible prescription was a creative combination of the Nehruvian notion of a secular state and the Gandhian idea of social togetherness. Unfortunately, the state increasingly lost its secular character and community relationship slipped steadily into religious antagonism, the sad consequences of which were witnessed in Gujarat and Orissa.
Deviations from Secularism
Despite limitations and departures, the post-Independence Indian state maintained a modicum of secular character, although for electoral reasons the state made several deviations from the ideal, particularly during the rule of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The secular character of the state suffered most grievously during the six years when the Bhartiya Janata Party had control over the state apparatuses. The interventions of the state, particularly in education, culture and police administration, were palpably anti-secular. Under its administration the Indian state assumed a distinctly Hindu communal character and used the opportunity to undo the secular traditions of Indian society.
The unfortunate fact is that the ‘secular’ rule that followed has not been able to erase this scar. Moreover, in many of its actions the state continues to carry the anti-secular baggage. Is it not because of that that a Bill for the prevention of communal riots has not been passed? Is it not for the same reason that the recommendations of the Sachar Committee have been kept in cold storage? Or that no action has been taken so far against those who have been indicted by the Liberhan Commission for the Babri Masjid’s demolition after 16 years of its labour?
The more abiding impact of Hindu communal activities has been on undermining the harmonious social relations that existed among different communities. This was attempted through a variety of ways, among them, through communal politics, hate campaigns, falsification of history and instigation of communal riots. Violence is the chief instrument of communalism, which spreads hatred, fear, ghettoisation, and so on, and communal violence is not an end in itself but the beginning of further rift between communities, undermining thereby the existing secular relations.
During the past 60 years, the activities of communal organisations have been such that Indian society has been ideologically and socially communalised. Moreover, communalism has made society brutal; brutality of the kind perpetrated in Gujarat and Orissa was unknown in the past despite communal riots occurring rather regularly.
The communal advance witnessed during the past 60 years is at the expense of secular space. That space has to be reclaimed if India is to remain a democratic society. Being a multireligious and multicultural society, democracy cannot survive in India without secularism. Are there efforts afoot, both by the state and by civil society, to further the process of secularisation?
After the defeat of communal forces in the general elections of 2004, secularism appears to have been put on the back burner both by the secular parties and by civil society organisations. Understandably because there was a sense of relief that the threat had been warded off. The general elections of 2009 gave enough reason for further complacency because communal forces were worsted in them. But secularism does not come to stay because of successes in an election or two. It has to be assiduously constructed through sustained work; continuity is the key to the creation of social consciousness. The secular forces hardly realise this fundamental factor, but believe that secularism can be fought and won in the political arena.
One of the main reasons for the success of Hindu communalism has been the failure of secularism to intervene effectively in the social and cultural domains, in which communalism is ever active. But secularism is as much a cultural and social phenomenon as a political one. The secular forces have not evolved an agenda based on such an understanding. At the same time, anti-secular forces attribute great importance to the non-political sector.
The agenda of secular forces has neither been innovative nor culturally sensitive to evolve an idiom to communicate with the masses. Much of the secular activity does not go beyond press statements by intellectuals and seminars in which committed secularists alone participate. There is hardly any attempt from secular intellectuals to reclaim popular cultural consciousness. The accusation that the secular intellectuals and cultural activists circulate alien ideas among themselves appears to stick, even if it is not entirely true.
If secularism is to be a force in society, it has to reinvent itself in cultural and social terms. Then and then alone it will be a part of the ideology of the masses. The Hindu and Muslim villagers in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan who greet each other with Ram Ram have their own notion of secular interpersonal relations, despite being believers of different religions. Secularism has to internalise the culture of this social relation if it aims to be a hegemonic force in society.
K.N. Panikkar is former professor of Modern Indian History at JNU and currently Vice-Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council. E-mail: knpanikkar(at)gmail.com
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"They came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then... they came for me... And by that time there was no one left to speak up." --Martin Niemöller
February 09, 2010
February 08, 2010
Shiv Sena's Tirade Against Shah Rukh Khan: An Open Letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister
From: shabnam hashmi
Date: Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 6:31 PM
Subject: An Open Letter to CM, Maharashtra
To: chiefminister@maharashtra.gov.in
Cc: hm@nic.in
The Chief Minister
Maharashtra
Dear Mr Ashok Chavan,
Every society gives enough warning signals before turning totally anti democratic and fascist in nature. If we go back in history we will find that even in fascist Germany the first attack came on the freedom of expression of artists and intellectuals. It is very natural as the struggle for peace, democracy, secular thought, justice and communal harmony is waged by sensitive and creative people. The dream of an equal and just society has always been projected by either the mass movements of ordinary poor and marginalized people, secular political forces, human rights activists or has been portrayed by artists, poets, film makers, theatre directors etc. So those people whose agenda and preoccupation is to spread hatred and disharmony always attack the artists, activists, intellectuals and thinkers.
Unfortunately in the past we have ignored these danger signals and violent acts thus allowing the perpetrators of hate mongering not only to go scot free but also to further vitiate the atmosphere.
What has been happening in Maharashtra the past few months is absolutely shocking and is an attack on the democratic rights of the citizens of not only Maharashtra but all Indians.
I am writing to you as a member of the National Integration Council, Ministry of Home Affairs and I request you to immediately take steps to ensure that the goondaism unleashed by the Shiv Sena and MNS is stopped immediately.
I request you to ensure that Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan , whose effigies were burnt in Mumbai and especially Shahrukh Khan, who has received threats in the past few days, are given adequate security, that there is no disturbance when their films are released or screened in theaters. I request you to ensure that no taxi driver or auto rickshaw driver is harassed for not knowing or speaking Marathi (its good that you backtracked on January 20 from a similar unconstitutional stand on the question of issuing licenses to the taxi drivers) and that their constitutional and democratic rights of working or living in any part of India are not violated by Shiv Sena hoodlums on the roads.
The kind of filthy language which is being used and threats which are being issued against the senior leaders of your own party are absolutely unacceptable and need to be condemned strongly.
I request you to urgently arrest and prosecute those who are behind the recent incidents.
Sincerely yours
Shabnam Hashmi
Member, National Integration Council, MHA
CC Home Minister, GOVT of India
Date: Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 6:31 PM
Subject: An Open Letter to CM, Maharashtra
To: chiefminister@maharashtra.gov.in
Cc: hm@nic.in
The Chief Minister
Maharashtra
Dear Mr Ashok Chavan,
Every society gives enough warning signals before turning totally anti democratic and fascist in nature. If we go back in history we will find that even in fascist Germany the first attack came on the freedom of expression of artists and intellectuals. It is very natural as the struggle for peace, democracy, secular thought, justice and communal harmony is waged by sensitive and creative people. The dream of an equal and just society has always been projected by either the mass movements of ordinary poor and marginalized people, secular political forces, human rights activists or has been portrayed by artists, poets, film makers, theatre directors etc. So those people whose agenda and preoccupation is to spread hatred and disharmony always attack the artists, activists, intellectuals and thinkers.
Unfortunately in the past we have ignored these danger signals and violent acts thus allowing the perpetrators of hate mongering not only to go scot free but also to further vitiate the atmosphere.
What has been happening in Maharashtra the past few months is absolutely shocking and is an attack on the democratic rights of the citizens of not only Maharashtra but all Indians.
I am writing to you as a member of the National Integration Council, Ministry of Home Affairs and I request you to immediately take steps to ensure that the goondaism unleashed by the Shiv Sena and MNS is stopped immediately.
I request you to ensure that Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan , whose effigies were burnt in Mumbai and especially Shahrukh Khan, who has received threats in the past few days, are given adequate security, that there is no disturbance when their films are released or screened in theaters. I request you to ensure that no taxi driver or auto rickshaw driver is harassed for not knowing or speaking Marathi (its good that you backtracked on January 20 from a similar unconstitutional stand on the question of issuing licenses to the taxi drivers) and that their constitutional and democratic rights of working or living in any part of India are not violated by Shiv Sena hoodlums on the roads.
The kind of filthy language which is being used and threats which are being issued against the senior leaders of your own party are absolutely unacceptable and need to be condemned strongly.
I request you to urgently arrest and prosecute those who are behind the recent incidents.
Sincerely yours
Shabnam Hashmi
Member, National Integration Council, MHA
CC Home Minister, GOVT of India
February 06, 2010
Peace Mumbai on IPL, Shah Rukh Khan and Shiv Sena
Press Statement
4th February 2010
The Peace Mumbai, a coalition of organisations and activists from Mumbai
working towards just peace in the sub-continent in particular, expresses its
grave concern at the highly deplorable farce of keeping Pakistani players
out at the recent auction of the IPL. Things looked so ugly that even the
Union Home Minister, no peacenik by any stretch, has gone on record strongly
disapproving the orchestrated tamasha.
In this context, the Peace Mumbai finds it even more revolting that the Shiv
Sena, in Mumbai, has launched a vile and vicious tirade against an extremely
popular silver screen hero, Shah Rukh Khan, who is also a co-owner of the
Kolkata Knight Riders - one of the participating teams, for voicing his
disapproval of this development. Khan has also made it known that he would
have still hired a Pakistani cricketer had there been any slot available.
While the Union Home Minister has been spared, even though he expressed
exactly the same sort of sentiments, SRK has been chosen as a target clearly
on account his perceived vulnerability on more than one counts.
The Peace Mumbai, in the same vein, would also like to place on record of
its profound appreciation of SRK for his gritty refusal to buckle down. It
also demands that the state government must provide all the legitimate
protection to him in this specific context.
Sukla Sen Varsha R Berry Nasreen Contractor Asad Bin Saif
4th February 2010
The Peace Mumbai, a coalition of organisations and activists from Mumbai
working towards just peace in the sub-continent in particular, expresses its
grave concern at the highly deplorable farce of keeping Pakistani players
out at the recent auction of the IPL. Things looked so ugly that even the
Union Home Minister, no peacenik by any stretch, has gone on record strongly
disapproving the orchestrated tamasha.
In this context, the Peace Mumbai finds it even more revolting that the Shiv
Sena, in Mumbai, has launched a vile and vicious tirade against an extremely
popular silver screen hero, Shah Rukh Khan, who is also a co-owner of the
Kolkata Knight Riders - one of the participating teams, for voicing his
disapproval of this development. Khan has also made it known that he would
have still hired a Pakistani cricketer had there been any slot available.
While the Union Home Minister has been spared, even though he expressed
exactly the same sort of sentiments, SRK has been chosen as a target clearly
on account his perceived vulnerability on more than one counts.
The Peace Mumbai, in the same vein, would also like to place on record of
its profound appreciation of SRK for his gritty refusal to buckle down. It
also demands that the state government must provide all the legitimate
protection to him in this specific context.
Sukla Sen Varsha R Berry Nasreen Contractor Asad Bin Saif
Shiv Sena Tirade against Shah Rukh Khan
Shiv Sena Ire against Shah Rukh Khan
Ram Puniyani
A fortnight ago (January 2010) Shah Rukh Khan, the celebrated film star, voiced his opinion that Pakistani Cricket players should not be prevented from playing in IPL cricket League. This sparked a big row of protest from the local Shiv Sena supporters, who criticized Khan and tore the posters of his film, ‘My Name is Khan’, they also went on to say if Shah Rukh’s ‘Khan’ is awakening he should very well go to Pakistan and be there. At the same time Shiv Sena is spearheading a violent campaign, ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians’, to which even cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, a Maharashtrian, amongst others voiced their opinion that all parts of India belong to all the Indian citizens.
Mumbai is currently seeing the turmoil around these twin issues, regionalism, and communalism in its worst form. One knows that India-Pakistan relations have been quiet strained right since the beginning. There have been three wars between these two neighbors. The people living across the borders, with relatives on either side have been moaning with pain and anguish due to this strife between the two countries. Many issues have been a bone of contention between the two neighbors, the major lately being terrorism.
Terrorism needs to be understood in its depth if it is to be eliminated. The roots of this terror lie in the politics of oil, creation of Madrassas on the soil of Pakistan to train the Al Qaeda terrorists by US. US wanted to confront the Russian occupation of Afghanistan in the late 1970s. This Al Qaeda was created by indoctrinating the Muslim youth by instilling distorted version of Islam. Osama bin Laden was brought in again by machinations of US, same Osama was given millions of dollars and tons of armaments to join the anti Russian forces.
After the defeat of Russian forces this indoctrinated outfit turned against others in the region. It did create havoc and continues to torment the region. It has been like a Frankenstein’s monster, which has misused the identity of Islam for the acts of violence and currently Pakistan is the major victim of this monster.
While the terrorism’s base might be in Pakistan, it is not the Pakistani state, or Pakistani people or democratic elements that are supporting this poisonous cancer. As such Pakistan lost her ex Prime Minster and regularly we see the acts of terror in Pakistan. To eliminate this cancer, the civilian Government in Pakistan is trying its own bit, but the Military-Mullah complex in Pakistan, patronized by US, is the one, which nurtures this phenomenon. While we are fully justified in condemning terrorism, calling upon civilian government to control it, it is also true that gestures of friendship to Pakistan will strengthen civilian government and eliminate terrorism in the long run. So peace with Pakistan has to be strengthened through music, sports, business and educational exchange. A Hate campaign between the neighbors will be harmful to the interests of both the countries.
So while anger against terrorism is natural, we can’t ignore the deeper dynamics of the region and shun peace. Peace is the pre-requisite of progress of the region. The insinuations by Shiv Sena against Shah Rukh, asking him to go to Pakistan, just because his name is Muslim, is against the values of Indian Constitution and the spirit of the National movement, which built the country. The divisive nature of regional politics is to be condemned through and through. Our concept of citizenship is not based around religion. People of all religions are equal citizens of the country. To doubt the patriotism of any citizen just because of ‘one’s religion’ is the insult of Indian Constitution.
Same way, while appreciating the fact that the metros like Mumbai can’t accommodate the population beyond a point, there is also a need to introspect as to why so many people migrate to Mumbai? As such, it is lop sided development of the country which forces people to migrate to such a metropolis. So while demanding a curb on Shiv Sena for its hooliganism and anti national utterances, one also has to focus attention for a pattern of development where people don’t have to migrate just to survive. That’s where the crux of the matter is.
Shiv Sena has a complex history. It was supported by industrialists and partly nurtured by a section of Congress leadership decades ago. The idea then was to smash the left trade unions, which were struggling for workers rights in an honest way. Later the same Shiv Sena attacked the South Indians, then Gujaratis and finally North Indians for sometime before jumping on the Rath (chariot) of Hinduvta spearhead by BJP’s Lal Krishna Advani. Shiv Sena has been the most firm ally of BJP and its communal politics all through. Shiv Sena’s supremo Bal Thackeray has also been indicted in the Srikrishna Commission report, a report which has been put into cold storage by the Congress government. Interestingly Shiv Sena, SS, presents its role in Mumbai violence as being that of protecting Hindus, a formulation which is from the World of make believe, which presents victim as the culprit, as Shrikrishna Commission makes it very clear.
The methods employed by Shiv Sena earlier and MNS (Maharashtra Nav Nirnman Sena) of Raj Thackeray show the parallels with the ones’ employed by Hitler’s foot soldiers, i.e. to intimidate people through street violence. In this direction on regular basis Shiv Sena in particular attacked artists, Gulam Ali, a Gazal singer from Pakistan, M.F. Hussain, a Painter, and now Shahrukh Khan. In these ‘storm trooper’ methods it SS had been associated with the parallel ones from RSS stream, Bajrang Dal etc. The idea is to vandalize and make a glaring attack on liberal values of democracy. While outfits like SS, MNS and Bajrang Dal are fascists, they use democratic space, the lapses of opportunist centralist politics to come up in the social space. Hitler also used the democratic space to come, to abolish the democratic space itself. The analogies of such formations with Hitler, fascists are too glaring to be ignored. They are a product politics of vested interests, taking advantage of centrist formations like Congress and than turning into Frankenstein’s monsters.
With Bal Thackeray trying to pass on the mantle of his fascist politics, Uddhav and Raj, son and nephew respectively, claimed the inheritance. Bal Thackeray decided to anoint his son Uddhav as the heir apparent. Peeved by this the more aggressive Raj launched his own outfit, Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena. In the formative period of MNS, Congress again played a complicit role by sitting pretty when Raj unleashed his aggression against hapless taxi drivers from North India and Bihar. This acted as the tonic for the MNS, and it became bold enough to unleash rampage time and over again. It has come to stay as a political force. The role of Congress has been very compromising as for as formation of Shiv Sena and MNS are concerned.
Shiv Sena- MNS primarily belong to divisive- fascist anti national ideology of communalism and regionalism. Their disregard for the values of Indian Constitution is there for all to see. Their politics also proves that divisive ideologies strengthen each other. Both these outfits, particularly Shiv Sena has been using both these sectarianisms for its political benefit.
Shiv Sena and its offshoot, Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena, both thrive on the divisive sentiments. The spirit of National integration is being attacked by the actions of these regional forces. We should not target our citizens in the name of religion or region. The encouragement of Hate against Pakistan is shortsighted and is playing to the crude emotions, ignoring the deeper causes of terrorism, for that the finger of accusation should point to the US policies which has been pursing its politics of control in the region and has used Pakistan as the base and ally for its ambitions of appropriating this Black Gold. One must support the rights of all our citizens within the limits of Indian Constitution and restrain the regional and communal forces for the sake of national progress.
--
Ram Puniyani
A fortnight ago (January 2010) Shah Rukh Khan, the celebrated film star, voiced his opinion that Pakistani Cricket players should not be prevented from playing in IPL cricket League. This sparked a big row of protest from the local Shiv Sena supporters, who criticized Khan and tore the posters of his film, ‘My Name is Khan’, they also went on to say if Shah Rukh’s ‘Khan’ is awakening he should very well go to Pakistan and be there. At the same time Shiv Sena is spearheading a violent campaign, ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians’, to which even cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, a Maharashtrian, amongst others voiced their opinion that all parts of India belong to all the Indian citizens.
Mumbai is currently seeing the turmoil around these twin issues, regionalism, and communalism in its worst form. One knows that India-Pakistan relations have been quiet strained right since the beginning. There have been three wars between these two neighbors. The people living across the borders, with relatives on either side have been moaning with pain and anguish due to this strife between the two countries. Many issues have been a bone of contention between the two neighbors, the major lately being terrorism.
Terrorism needs to be understood in its depth if it is to be eliminated. The roots of this terror lie in the politics of oil, creation of Madrassas on the soil of Pakistan to train the Al Qaeda terrorists by US. US wanted to confront the Russian occupation of Afghanistan in the late 1970s. This Al Qaeda was created by indoctrinating the Muslim youth by instilling distorted version of Islam. Osama bin Laden was brought in again by machinations of US, same Osama was given millions of dollars and tons of armaments to join the anti Russian forces.
After the defeat of Russian forces this indoctrinated outfit turned against others in the region. It did create havoc and continues to torment the region. It has been like a Frankenstein’s monster, which has misused the identity of Islam for the acts of violence and currently Pakistan is the major victim of this monster.
While the terrorism’s base might be in Pakistan, it is not the Pakistani state, or Pakistani people or democratic elements that are supporting this poisonous cancer. As such Pakistan lost her ex Prime Minster and regularly we see the acts of terror in Pakistan. To eliminate this cancer, the civilian Government in Pakistan is trying its own bit, but the Military-Mullah complex in Pakistan, patronized by US, is the one, which nurtures this phenomenon. While we are fully justified in condemning terrorism, calling upon civilian government to control it, it is also true that gestures of friendship to Pakistan will strengthen civilian government and eliminate terrorism in the long run. So peace with Pakistan has to be strengthened through music, sports, business and educational exchange. A Hate campaign between the neighbors will be harmful to the interests of both the countries.
So while anger against terrorism is natural, we can’t ignore the deeper dynamics of the region and shun peace. Peace is the pre-requisite of progress of the region. The insinuations by Shiv Sena against Shah Rukh, asking him to go to Pakistan, just because his name is Muslim, is against the values of Indian Constitution and the spirit of the National movement, which built the country. The divisive nature of regional politics is to be condemned through and through. Our concept of citizenship is not based around religion. People of all religions are equal citizens of the country. To doubt the patriotism of any citizen just because of ‘one’s religion’ is the insult of Indian Constitution.
Same way, while appreciating the fact that the metros like Mumbai can’t accommodate the population beyond a point, there is also a need to introspect as to why so many people migrate to Mumbai? As such, it is lop sided development of the country which forces people to migrate to such a metropolis. So while demanding a curb on Shiv Sena for its hooliganism and anti national utterances, one also has to focus attention for a pattern of development where people don’t have to migrate just to survive. That’s where the crux of the matter is.
Shiv Sena has a complex history. It was supported by industrialists and partly nurtured by a section of Congress leadership decades ago. The idea then was to smash the left trade unions, which were struggling for workers rights in an honest way. Later the same Shiv Sena attacked the South Indians, then Gujaratis and finally North Indians for sometime before jumping on the Rath (chariot) of Hinduvta spearhead by BJP’s Lal Krishna Advani. Shiv Sena has been the most firm ally of BJP and its communal politics all through. Shiv Sena’s supremo Bal Thackeray has also been indicted in the Srikrishna Commission report, a report which has been put into cold storage by the Congress government. Interestingly Shiv Sena, SS, presents its role in Mumbai violence as being that of protecting Hindus, a formulation which is from the World of make believe, which presents victim as the culprit, as Shrikrishna Commission makes it very clear.
The methods employed by Shiv Sena earlier and MNS (Maharashtra Nav Nirnman Sena) of Raj Thackeray show the parallels with the ones’ employed by Hitler’s foot soldiers, i.e. to intimidate people through street violence. In this direction on regular basis Shiv Sena in particular attacked artists, Gulam Ali, a Gazal singer from Pakistan, M.F. Hussain, a Painter, and now Shahrukh Khan. In these ‘storm trooper’ methods it SS had been associated with the parallel ones from RSS stream, Bajrang Dal etc. The idea is to vandalize and make a glaring attack on liberal values of democracy. While outfits like SS, MNS and Bajrang Dal are fascists, they use democratic space, the lapses of opportunist centralist politics to come up in the social space. Hitler also used the democratic space to come, to abolish the democratic space itself. The analogies of such formations with Hitler, fascists are too glaring to be ignored. They are a product politics of vested interests, taking advantage of centrist formations like Congress and than turning into Frankenstein’s monsters.
With Bal Thackeray trying to pass on the mantle of his fascist politics, Uddhav and Raj, son and nephew respectively, claimed the inheritance. Bal Thackeray decided to anoint his son Uddhav as the heir apparent. Peeved by this the more aggressive Raj launched his own outfit, Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena. In the formative period of MNS, Congress again played a complicit role by sitting pretty when Raj unleashed his aggression against hapless taxi drivers from North India and Bihar. This acted as the tonic for the MNS, and it became bold enough to unleash rampage time and over again. It has come to stay as a political force. The role of Congress has been very compromising as for as formation of Shiv Sena and MNS are concerned.
Shiv Sena- MNS primarily belong to divisive- fascist anti national ideology of communalism and regionalism. Their disregard for the values of Indian Constitution is there for all to see. Their politics also proves that divisive ideologies strengthen each other. Both these outfits, particularly Shiv Sena has been using both these sectarianisms for its political benefit.
Shiv Sena and its offshoot, Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena, both thrive on the divisive sentiments. The spirit of National integration is being attacked by the actions of these regional forces. We should not target our citizens in the name of religion or region. The encouragement of Hate against Pakistan is shortsighted and is playing to the crude emotions, ignoring the deeper causes of terrorism, for that the finger of accusation should point to the US policies which has been pursing its politics of control in the region and has used Pakistan as the base and ally for its ambitions of appropriating this Black Gold. One must support the rights of all our citizens within the limits of Indian Constitution and restrain the regional and communal forces for the sake of national progress.
--
January 25, 2010
Church attacked in Mysore
Church attacked in Mysore; statue of Mother Mary broken
NDTV Correspondent, Monday January 25, 2010, Mysore
The city of Mysore had witnessed communal riots just a few months ago, and now the city's Holy Family Church was vandalised on Sunday.
A statue of Mother Mary was broken in the attack. The church had been stoned several years ago, but things had been peaceful in the recent past. But the overnight attack has come as a shock.
"This is done by some miscreants to create unrest in our community and humiliate the Christians," said Bishop Pillai.
This is not the first time that churches in Karnataka have been attacked. Mangalore has seen several cases of vandalism leading to allegations of a right-wing agenda in the BJP-ruled state - a charge authorities deny.
Police say the Mysore attack could be a simple case of attempted theft.
"It is reported that some miscreants entered the church premises and they tried to break open the hundi. After that, they also tried to break open the glass and they damaged the statue of Mother Mary," said Ravikant Gowda, DCP, Mysore.
No arrests have been made so far in this distressing attack on a place of worship.
NDTV Correspondent, Monday January 25, 2010, Mysore
The city of Mysore had witnessed communal riots just a few months ago, and now the city's Holy Family Church was vandalised on Sunday.
A statue of Mother Mary was broken in the attack. The church had been stoned several years ago, but things had been peaceful in the recent past. But the overnight attack has come as a shock.
"This is done by some miscreants to create unrest in our community and humiliate the Christians," said Bishop Pillai.
This is not the first time that churches in Karnataka have been attacked. Mangalore has seen several cases of vandalism leading to allegations of a right-wing agenda in the BJP-ruled state - a charge authorities deny.
Police say the Mysore attack could be a simple case of attempted theft.
"It is reported that some miscreants entered the church premises and they tried to break open the hundi. After that, they also tried to break open the glass and they damaged the statue of Mother Mary," said Ravikant Gowda, DCP, Mysore.
No arrests have been made so far in this distressing attack on a place of worship.
Karnataka's Hindu Right Targets Churches in response to Attacks on Indians in Australia
The Hindu
MANGALORE, January 24, 2010
Cross desecrated at church near Bhatkal
Staff Correspondent
A cross at St. Lourdes Catholic Church at Mundalli village in Bhatkal taluk of Uttara Kannada was desecrated on Friday, allegedly by activists of the local unit of Sri Rama Sene.
The church is 5 km from Bhatkal.
The accused were purportedly trying to pull down the cross, which is a few metres from the church.
But some custodians of the church saw them and raised an alarm, forcing the culprits to flee.
Needle of suspicion
The needle of suspicion turned towards the Sri Rama Sene activists as only a few days ago the local unit had threatened such an action in a memorandum addressed to the President and submitted to the Assistant Commissioner, after a protest.
The memorandum submitted on January 19 stated that “Christians in India are part of a conspiracy to target Indian Hindus in Australia.”
Memorandum
The memorandum, signed by convener of the Bhatkal unit of Sri Rama Sene Shankar Naik, said that if the President did not initiate action to prevent the attacks on “Indian Hindus” in Australia in two days (January 20 and 21), the sene would “ensure that there is not a single church in Bhatkal”.
Additional Superintendent of Police V.B. Gaonkar told The Hindu that Shankar Naik, his brother Keshav Naik and Shankar Moger of the sene were among those arrested in connection with the attack.
‘Habitual offenders’
All the three were “habitual offenders” and had several cases pending against them, he said.
Sources from Bhatkal said that the situation in the areas around the church was tense, but peaceful. Mr. Gaonkar said that additional forces had been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.
Produced in court
Karwar Correspondent reports:
The police said that eight sene activists had been arrested in connection with the incident and they had been produced in court.
The five others arrested have been identified as Nitesh Mahale, Eshwar Naik, Mahadev Naik, Shekhar Kharvi and Devendra Naik
Shivaraj Ambari, president of the Uttara Kannada unit of the sene, denied that his organisation had any role in the incident and blamed some Christian organisations for it.
He said the sene was blamed for a similar incident at Humnabad in Bidar district a few months ago.
After investigation, a former pastor of the church was arrested in connection with the case, he said.
MANGALORE, January 24, 2010
Cross desecrated at church near Bhatkal
Staff Correspondent
A cross at St. Lourdes Catholic Church at Mundalli village in Bhatkal taluk of Uttara Kannada was desecrated on Friday, allegedly by activists of the local unit of Sri Rama Sene.
The church is 5 km from Bhatkal.
The accused were purportedly trying to pull down the cross, which is a few metres from the church.
But some custodians of the church saw them and raised an alarm, forcing the culprits to flee.
Needle of suspicion
The needle of suspicion turned towards the Sri Rama Sene activists as only a few days ago the local unit had threatened such an action in a memorandum addressed to the President and submitted to the Assistant Commissioner, after a protest.
The memorandum submitted on January 19 stated that “Christians in India are part of a conspiracy to target Indian Hindus in Australia.”
Memorandum
The memorandum, signed by convener of the Bhatkal unit of Sri Rama Sene Shankar Naik, said that if the President did not initiate action to prevent the attacks on “Indian Hindus” in Australia in two days (January 20 and 21), the sene would “ensure that there is not a single church in Bhatkal”.
Additional Superintendent of Police V.B. Gaonkar told The Hindu that Shankar Naik, his brother Keshav Naik and Shankar Moger of the sene were among those arrested in connection with the attack.
‘Habitual offenders’
All the three were “habitual offenders” and had several cases pending against them, he said.
Sources from Bhatkal said that the situation in the areas around the church was tense, but peaceful. Mr. Gaonkar said that additional forces had been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.
Produced in court
Karwar Correspondent reports:
The police said that eight sene activists had been arrested in connection with the incident and they had been produced in court.
The five others arrested have been identified as Nitesh Mahale, Eshwar Naik, Mahadev Naik, Shekhar Kharvi and Devendra Naik
Shivaraj Ambari, president of the Uttara Kannada unit of the sene, denied that his organisation had any role in the incident and blamed some Christian organisations for it.
He said the sene was blamed for a similar incident at Humnabad in Bidar district a few months ago.
After investigation, a former pastor of the church was arrested in connection with the case, he said.
January 24, 2010
Shiv Sena has threatens Australian cricketers to play in the upcoming Indian Premier League
source: geo.tv
Shiv Sena won’t allow Australian to play IPL
Updated at: 2343 PST, Saturday, January 23, 2010
NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena has threatened that it would not allow Australian cricketers to play in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
According to Indian media reports, party chief Bal Thackeray warned that his party would not permit Australian cricketers to play the IPL.
“We shall not allow the Australian team to play in IPL till the attacks on Indians in their land are stopped,” he said.
Meanwhile, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said players were receiving threats, however, strict security measures will be taken during the event.
Shiv Sena won’t allow Australian to play IPL
Updated at: 2343 PST, Saturday, January 23, 2010
NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena has threatened that it would not allow Australian cricketers to play in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).According to Indian media reports, party chief Bal Thackeray warned that his party would not permit Australian cricketers to play the IPL.
“We shall not allow the Australian team to play in IPL till the attacks on Indians in their land are stopped,” he said.
Meanwhile, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said players were receiving threats, however, strict security measures will be taken during the event.
January 23, 2010
When the mainstream acts like Shivsena and MNS Chauvinists - Cartoon in The Hindu
Cartoon by Surendra in The Hindu, January 23, 2010
January 21, 2010
A.B.V.P. attack's book exhibit in Delhi university
A.B.V.P. attack on 'Janchetna' Book Exhibition Van in D.U.
Injured the activists, damaged the van
PRESS RELEASE
January 20, New delhi. Nearly 25 members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the R.S.S., attacked the 'Janchetna' Book Exhibition Van which has been displaying books inside the premises of Arts Faculty, Delhi University, with the permission of the University authorities. They broke the windscreen and glasses of the exhibition van and injured three activists Kunal, Sanjay and Naveen who were present at the exhibition. As is well known, 'Janchetna' is a cultural campaign propagating democratic and progressive ideas in the society through the writings and literature of the likes of Premchand, Bhagat Singh, Sharatchandra, Gorky, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Rahul Sankrityayan, Radhamohan Gokulji etc. This is not the first attack by the Sangh Parivar on 'Janchetna' book exhibition van. 'Janchetna' has been targeted by the sang parivar outfits even before. Last year too, A.B.V.P. had attacked the exhibition van in the Delhi University. Earlier, the ABVP, VHP and Bajrang Dal had attacked the exhibition van at Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Agra, Jaipur, Kota and several other places.
Today, the A.B.V.P. goondas were equipped with rods, hockeys etc. They had come with the aim of damaging the exhibition van and they were openly declaring that the 'Janchetna' van will not be allowed to propagate these ideas inside the campus. When the activists of 'Janchetna' tried to argue with them they attacked the activists and broke the windscreen and display glasses of the van. They threw away books by Bhagat Singh and other writers and also threatened to put the van on fire. Before the news of this attack could reach the volunteers and wellwishers of 'Janchetna', the goons had left the scene. Soon after the students affiliated with Disha Students Organisation, AISA and SFI came to express solidarity with 'Janchetna'. The entire democratic and progressive community of Delhi University is organizing of protest demonstration in the Arts Faculty Against this Fascist attack tomorrow.
The activists of 'Janchetna' have registered a complaint in the Proctor's Office and also lodged FIR in the Maurice Nagar Police Station. Sanjay, one of the activists present at the van during the attack, said that if the hooligans of A.B.V.P. believe that they can terrorise us through these kinds of acts, then they are grossly mistaken. The 'Janchetna' van will continue its work in the Arts Faculty and we will give a 'tit for tat' answer in case of any future attack. The security of the van is the duty of the University administration as they have granted the permission to hold exhibition in the Arts Faculty, and that of the Police administration. If they fail to provide protection, then we will be left with no other choice but to defend ourselves.
Satyam
For, Janchetna
Phone: Abhinav 9999379381 / Satyam 9910262009
Injured the activists, damaged the van
PRESS RELEASE
January 20, New delhi. Nearly 25 members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the R.S.S., attacked the 'Janchetna' Book Exhibition Van which has been displaying books inside the premises of Arts Faculty, Delhi University, with the permission of the University authorities. They broke the windscreen and glasses of the exhibition van and injured three activists Kunal, Sanjay and Naveen who were present at the exhibition. As is well known, 'Janchetna' is a cultural campaign propagating democratic and progressive ideas in the society through the writings and literature of the likes of Premchand, Bhagat Singh, Sharatchandra, Gorky, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Rahul Sankrityayan, Radhamohan Gokulji etc. This is not the first attack by the Sangh Parivar on 'Janchetna' book exhibition van. 'Janchetna' has been targeted by the sang parivar outfits even before. Last year too, A.B.V.P. had attacked the exhibition van in the Delhi University. Earlier, the ABVP, VHP and Bajrang Dal had attacked the exhibition van at Mathura, Meerut, Moradabad, Agra, Jaipur, Kota and several other places.
Today, the A.B.V.P. goondas were equipped with rods, hockeys etc. They had come with the aim of damaging the exhibition van and they were openly declaring that the 'Janchetna' van will not be allowed to propagate these ideas inside the campus. When the activists of 'Janchetna' tried to argue with them they attacked the activists and broke the windscreen and display glasses of the van. They threw away books by Bhagat Singh and other writers and also threatened to put the van on fire. Before the news of this attack could reach the volunteers and wellwishers of 'Janchetna', the goons had left the scene. Soon after the students affiliated with Disha Students Organisation, AISA and SFI came to express solidarity with 'Janchetna'. The entire democratic and progressive community of Delhi University is organizing of protest demonstration in the Arts Faculty Against this Fascist attack tomorrow.
The activists of 'Janchetna' have registered a complaint in the Proctor's Office and also lodged FIR in the Maurice Nagar Police Station. Sanjay, one of the activists present at the van during the attack, said that if the hooligans of A.B.V.P. believe that they can terrorise us through these kinds of acts, then they are grossly mistaken. The 'Janchetna' van will continue its work in the Arts Faculty and we will give a 'tit for tat' answer in case of any future attack. The security of the van is the duty of the University administration as they have granted the permission to hold exhibition in the Arts Faculty, and that of the Police administration. If they fail to provide protection, then we will be left with no other choice but to defend ourselves.
Satyam
For, Janchetna
Phone: Abhinav 9999379381 / Satyam 9910262009
Culture Police in Madhya Pradesh takes on condoms and women’s underwear
The Hindu
January 17, 2010
‘Culture cops’ bar M.P. shops from displaying innerwear
by Mahim Pratap Singh
File picture of Sanskriti Bachao Manch activists beating up Rishi Ajaydas, author of book 'Vivah Ek Naitik Balatkar' in Bhopal. Photo: A. M. Faruqui'
The Hindu File picture of Sanskriti Bachao Manch activists beating up Rishi Ajaydas, author of book 'Vivah Ek Naitik Balatkar' in Bhopal. Photo: A. M. Faruqui'
The overarching presence of the Hindu “cultural” right in Madhya Pradesh has come to the forefront again, this time seemingly at the behest of none other than Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
“Culture cops” belonging to the Sanskriti Bachao Manch–an affiliate of the Bajarang Dal and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, which are the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological collaborators–have gone on a rampage in the State capital threatening local shopkeepers against displaying innerwear outside their shops and tearing down hoardings and advertisements of condoms and women’s innerwear.
Civil society members and intellectuals have spoken against the current phase of moral policing going on in the State capital. Renowned documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and film and theatre actor Piyush Mishra, among others, have criticized the ruling BJP government for patronizing such regressive elements.
“Sexual repression is the cornerstone of any fascist apparatus and not just of Hindutva,” said Patwardhan, in Indore for the annual cultural fest of the Indian Institute of Management. “Be it Nazi Germany or Mussolini’s Italy, all of them had strong elements of sexual censorship, mainly of female sexuality, in order to exercise state power on bodies,” he said.
Mr. Patwardhan, maker of several documentaries portraying the rise of Hindutva in national politics like ‘War and Peace,’ ‘Father, Son and the Holy War’ and ‘Ram kay Naam’ among others, emphasized on Hindutva’s collective ideological repression being a reason for such moral policing.
Earlier this week, Mr. Chauhan sparked off the moral police’s outrage when he asked the municipal corporation to remove the “obscene and vulgar” hoarding of a local spa in front of a girls’ college, portraying a bareback woman.
“We are happy that the Chief Minister himself has taken the lead in the fight against this moral pollution,” said Chandra Shekhar Tiwari of the Sanskriti Bachao Manch. “We have given an ultimatum of seven days to all shopkeepers to remove all the innerwear hanging outside their shops or we will set these on fire,” he said.
The incidents reflect badly on the state’s cultural environment in the background of the recently held Prawasi Bharatiya Sammelan (NRI meet). The investment climate in the State, which the meet was supposed to encourage, is likely to suffer from such acts of moral policing, causing damage to corporate advertisement spaces and discouraging investors from coming to the State.
January 17, 2010
‘Culture cops’ bar M.P. shops from displaying innerwear
by Mahim Pratap Singh
File picture of Sanskriti Bachao Manch activists beating up Rishi Ajaydas, author of book 'Vivah Ek Naitik Balatkar' in Bhopal. Photo: A. M. Faruqui'
The Hindu File picture of Sanskriti Bachao Manch activists beating up Rishi Ajaydas, author of book 'Vivah Ek Naitik Balatkar' in Bhopal. Photo: A. M. Faruqui'
The overarching presence of the Hindu “cultural” right in Madhya Pradesh has come to the forefront again, this time seemingly at the behest of none other than Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
“Culture cops” belonging to the Sanskriti Bachao Manch–an affiliate of the Bajarang Dal and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, which are the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological collaborators–have gone on a rampage in the State capital threatening local shopkeepers against displaying innerwear outside their shops and tearing down hoardings and advertisements of condoms and women’s innerwear.
Civil society members and intellectuals have spoken against the current phase of moral policing going on in the State capital. Renowned documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and film and theatre actor Piyush Mishra, among others, have criticized the ruling BJP government for patronizing such regressive elements.
“Sexual repression is the cornerstone of any fascist apparatus and not just of Hindutva,” said Patwardhan, in Indore for the annual cultural fest of the Indian Institute of Management. “Be it Nazi Germany or Mussolini’s Italy, all of them had strong elements of sexual censorship, mainly of female sexuality, in order to exercise state power on bodies,” he said.
Mr. Patwardhan, maker of several documentaries portraying the rise of Hindutva in national politics like ‘War and Peace,’ ‘Father, Son and the Holy War’ and ‘Ram kay Naam’ among others, emphasized on Hindutva’s collective ideological repression being a reason for such moral policing.
Earlier this week, Mr. Chauhan sparked off the moral police’s outrage when he asked the municipal corporation to remove the “obscene and vulgar” hoarding of a local spa in front of a girls’ college, portraying a bareback woman.
“We are happy that the Chief Minister himself has taken the lead in the fight against this moral pollution,” said Chandra Shekhar Tiwari of the Sanskriti Bachao Manch. “We have given an ultimatum of seven days to all shopkeepers to remove all the innerwear hanging outside their shops or we will set these on fire,” he said.
The incidents reflect badly on the state’s cultural environment in the background of the recently held Prawasi Bharatiya Sammelan (NRI meet). The investment climate in the State, which the meet was supposed to encourage, is likely to suffer from such acts of moral policing, causing damage to corporate advertisement spaces and discouraging investors from coming to the State.
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