Rising intolerance endangers survival of a democracy

Kashmir Times
May 28, 2006

Editorial

Face of fascism
Rising intolerance endangers survival of a democracy

THE virtually government-sponsored anti-Amir Khan agitation in Gujarat has exposed another vicious face of fascistic forces asserting themselves across the country. Amir Khan's recently-released film Fanaa has earned plaudits from one and all in Delhi and elsewhere. But, in Gujarat, it will not be allowed to be shown in any cinema house. Not only that poor Amir Khan will not be allowed to visit Gujarat, in the foreseeable future, nor is any one allowed there to speak any thing in his favour. But, what are his faults? He had not villified Hindu heroes and Gods, nor has he portrayed any thing that may be construed as going against the traditional norms and values of the Indian society. Yet, the verdict of guilty has been delivered against Amir Khan because of what he had said in support of Medha Patkar's Narmada Bachao Andolan, which goes against the demand of the Gujarat government over the proposed height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. This, indeed, is a new violent face of fascistic intolerance. So far, the foot-soldiers of Hindutva had vandalised the studio of the artist, MF Husain and the priceless library of Deccan College at Pune, have prevented the screening of the Fire in cinema houses and the filming of the Water at its sets at Varanasi and had regularly tried to disrupt the cross-gender fun of the young on the Valentine's Day. All these were done and similar exercises are occasionally indulged in, supposedly, to save our tradition, culture and collective honour. But, now the casus belli is completely different. Amir Khan has been accused of hurting the interest and asmita (pride) of the Gujaratis by opposing their demand on the height of the dam and calling them rioters. So, poor Amir Khan is being barred from and boycotted in Gujarat.
This is nothing but officially-backed regional and communal fascism. Does it mean that, in future, any one critical of any policy or performance of any government will be barred entry into that state and his products, intellectual or industrial, will be systematically boycotted? In a very dark future the CAG of India may face such a treatment for finding faults with a state government's expenditure priorities, or the Supreme Court of India for over-ruling any decision of the state High Court, as it did last year, in connection with the Gujarat High Court's some decisions on the post-Godhra riots. Taking another step in the same dirty direction the VHP leadership of Gujarat has now declared a boycott of all Kashmiri products, shawls, handicrafts etc., in retaliation of the four Gujarat tourists recently killed at Srinagar in a bomb attack on their bus. So, it is high time for each one of us to think over whether we are going on the road to divisive intolerance? In 1950 Sardar Patel once said that "Bengalis know only how to weep", a few years later Nehru called Kolkata a "city of processions," and in protest against the anti-Bengali riots in Assam in 1960 the famous historian, RC Majumdar, referred to the Assamese, in writing, as "Ahom frogs". But against none of them was the street power mobilised either in West Bengal or in Assam. The visible difference in popular reaction, after forty-five years, makes us feel depressed about our future. If Indian culture, society and sense of unity has survived for two millennia and has, so far, triumphed over so many onslaughts it is only because of our ingrained inclusive tolerance. That alone has enabled us carry forward with our democracy and secularism, while countries around us have all fallen victims to their intolerant urges. But, we cannot afford to be complacent. True, we are the largest democracy in the world, but we may not remain so if the forces of fascism, often enjoying the support of political parties and even of state governments are allowed to become more active. Rise of intolerance as a dominant passion of the country -- constitutes a greater danger to the fragile fabric of Indian secular democratic structure than the armies of the neighbours.