Artists stand up for secularism - refuse Gujarat govt award. Govt strikes back

Expressindia.com

Day after Aditi Mangaldas refuses award, her function venue cancelled

Syed Khalique Ahmed

Posted online: Friday , September 21, 2007 at 12:00:00
Updated: Friday , September 21, 2007 at 01:16:34


Ahmedabad, September 20 THE Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee in Himmatnagar, which comes under the state’s Cooperative department, has cancelled the permission granted to an NGO to hold a function that was to be inaugurated with the dance performance of Aditi Mangaldas. The move comes after the Kathak exponent turned down an award offer from the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy, saying the state government was indulging in divisive activities.

Mangaldas, who has been living in New Delhi after completing her Bachelor of Science from St. Xavier’s College here, was invited to perform at a Yuva Sammelan on September 23 at Himmatnagar. The sammelan was being organised by NGO Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD).

ANHAD’s Shabnam Hashmi confirmed that the venue had been cancelled, though she did not say if the cancellation had anything to do with refusal of Mangaldas to accept the state award. Sources, however, said after Mangaldas publicly refused to accept the award, the political bosses in Gandhinagar asked the cooperative officials to cancel the venue of the programme where she was to perform.

Having brought up and studied in Gujarat, the danseuse has been coming to the state for performances regularly. When asked if she would perform at the Yuva Sammelan, she said over phone from New Delhi: “It will all depend on the organisers. I will consult Hashmi and then decide.”

She said an award is the most emotional and proud moment for an artiste, “but as an artist I feel I had to say no because the state government offering the award was indulging in divisive activities”.

“So many people were killed and thousands of others displaced under the existing dispensation. My conscience did not allow me to receive the award,” she said.

Trained by Pandit Birju Maharaj, Mangaldas has got support from celebrated dancer Mallika Sarabhai and well known artist Fr. Poothokaren Rappai. Sarabhai emailed to Mangaldas on Thursday congratulating her on her brave act of refusing the award offer. “I am delighted because there are very few people who stand up against the injustices of the Gujarat government,” she said.

Mallika wrote she had been leading a lonely life for the last six years after she came out in the open to defend the Constitution of India which was being trampled upon in Gujarat. “But I will continue to defend the constitutional rights no matter how much sacrifice I will have to do,” she added.

Fr. Rappai, director of Gurjarvani, described Mangaldas’ stand as “a positive and bold action”. He said Mangaldas was quite right in turning down the award because the policies of the state government were not in consonance with the values for which the academy stood.

While Gujarat Natak Academy secretary Manoj Shukla could not be contacted for comments, sources in the academy said Mangaldas’ name had been recommended by an Ahmedabad-based Kathak dancer and the proposal was cleared by a senior official of the Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities department.

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NDTV

Gujarat: Prominent artists reject awards

Richa Lakhera
Friday, September 21, 2007 (Ahmedabad)
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is now pitted against artistes. In a major snub to the Modi government, two well-known artists have turned down state honours as a show of protest.

Dance artist Astad Deboo has rejected the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademy Award. The Padmashree winner turned down the honour saying that accepting the award would mean going against his secular ideals.

Earlier, Kathak dancer Aditi Mangaldas has turned down the state Sangeet Natak academy's Gaurav Puraskar.

''I am unable to accept this award because I do not believe in the policies of the current government in Gujarat and its actions. Since the award is given by the state government, I cannot, accept it. Art is all encompassing and it obliterates all divisions. It removes our self-made, self-imposed barriers of caste, class, language and community,'' said Aditi Mangaldas, Kathak Dancer.

''There was Hitler and nazi before. Times have changed but apparently not in Gujarat. The state is bent on muzzling anyone who does not agree with them. This is the only way we can protest. When I spoke against Modi government's anti-Muslim policies my project was canned. This has to stop,'' said Parthiv Shah, Graphic artist.

For artists and cultural figures, it's a fight for freedom of expression.

First, it was the ban on Rahul Dholakia's film Parzania based on the Gujarat riots in February. Then came the harassment of students at Vadodara's art college.

Some years ago, dancer Mallika Sarabhai complained of victimisation by the Modi government for leading a campaign against the post-Godhra riots.

''There was Hitler and Nazi before. Times have changed but apparently not in Gujarat. The state is bent on muzzling anyone who does not agree with them. This is the only way we can protest. When I spoke against Modi government's anti-Muslim policies my project was canned. This has to stop,'' said Rahul Dholakia, Director, Parzania.

For a community seething with resentment, the refusal to accept state honours is a powerful message and this could just be the beginning.

Performing artists, academics art lovers and activists in Gujarat are united in their protests but is the government listening?