sign this and forward to all . . . because this is about our rights

----- Original Message -----
*From:* Suroor Mander [E-mail Protected]
*Sent:* Wednesday, May 24, 2006 8:53 PM
*Subject:* sign this and forward to all . . . because this is about our rights


Cinema, movies "filams" are integral to the Indian way of life. It's a phenomenon you can hate but you can't ignore. It's the saridon of the masses, and has given us a world that makes our fanatasies celluloid. It makes us believe that even we can have someone who will fly from London to Punjab to romance with us in 'sarso ka khets' and eventually marry us. It makes every taxi driver believe that his 'pardesi' is out there willing to give her all to marry him. It makes a poor man believe that rekha can be his lover even if it is for just for three hours. Or make the much overweight auntiji believe that Shahrukh or John or Amir is her prince charming. That is the power of Cinema and even its beauty.

It is Cinema that gives us our idols today. Most of who are mute hangers for the latest in fashion or a billboard for the latest soap, powder or pain killer. There are very few who have the courage to take a stand, have an opinion and are willing to voice it. One of them is Mr. Amir Khan. (I must clarify I am not a die hard fan (I'm madly in love with Shah Rukh Khan) but I enjoy his movies.) I have come to admire him over the last few years because he, like few others, has used his star – status to give a voice to an unheard lot of people. His stand on the Narmada Bachao Andolan ( N.B.A) hunger strike was remarkable at a time when the film circles have few individuals taking a stand on politically controversial issues. We may not agree with his opinion or his support to the cause but is it reasons enough to penalize him?

He has the right to his opinion and we to ours so why the vandalism? Freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right. By vandalizing halls and stopping the screenings of his movie the protesters are trying subvert his basic fundamental right.

Why is the BJP Yuva Morcha only targeting Amir Khan when others like Rahul Bose, Atul Kulkarni and Rakesh Mehra all extended their support to the NBA cause? Does it have something to do with his religious affiliations? One can’t help but think so. It also has nothing to do with his support to the Narmada cause but to do with his public stand
against the Gujarat riots and Mr.Modi, who in last few days has used any forum to malign Amir Khan and his intentions. Modi needs a scapegoat to further his fascist policies and ooze hate against the muslim community and Amir Khan is his latest prey. He has used him to claim that muslims are against Gujarat and Gujarati progress. On one hand, the BJP criticizes the Congress for the Emergency and on the other runs a fascist state in Gujarat that subverts a person’s fundamental rights.

We cannot let such injustice and violations against our fundamental rights go unaddressed and unprotected because it’s not about one Amir Khan but about the scores of faceless people risking their lives fighting against the fascist underbelly of Gujarat.

This is a battle to try and protect an individual’s fundamental rights and freedoms. We cannot let a few fundamentalists override our fundamental rights and subvert what is an essential human right. This attitude of the government in Gujarat reflects the makings of an arrogant chauvinistic government unwilling to accept any criticism. It is important that we stand up and be counted not because it is Amir Khan today, but because it could be us tomorrow.Aman Biradari stands by Mr. Khan and we encourage all like minded people to extend their support to the cause and forward this mail to as many people as you can!!
Add your name to the cause:


1: Suroor Mander
24/5/06