Goa: BJP govt under fire for trying to censor century-old Konkani theatre

Under pressure from Hindu right wing groups and with tacit support from Christian MLAs who were censured during live onstage performances in the past, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Goa is contemplating setting up a censor board for a popular more-than-a-century old theatre form called tiatr.

Over tiatr 400 personalities and the Opposition, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have slammed the government's veiled attempts earlier this week, calling it "high-handed" and "dictatorial", even as outraged editorials in local newspapers have demanded that the Goa government apologise for the purported censorship move.

Representational image. Courtesy: http://www.tiatracademygoa.com/

"Tiatr is a time-tested, popular form of Goan art that has survived decades without such political or governmental. There is no doubt that this is an attempt to muzzle the right to free expression, especially when exposing the misdeeds and scandals of politicians and governments," said Oscar Rebello, a spokesperson for the AAP told Firstpost.

For hundreds of thousands of Goans, especially the sizeable Christian community living here, going for a tiatr is more than just watching a play or a theatre outing. The tiatr as an art form is far more popular than the natak, which Marathi theatre performances are referred to as. With its socio-political, relevant and organic themes, watching a tiatr show on weekends, religious feast days and holidays is like watching their own lives play out under bright lights, mixed with a bit of banter and slapstick fun and a touch of tragedy.

Which is why the government’s move to put in place the “Goa Licensing and Controlling Places Of Public Amusement (Other Than Cinema) and Performances for Public Amusement, Rules 2015” has set alarm bells ringing. [. . .]

FULL TEXT AT: http://www.firstpost.com/politics/goa-bjp-govt-fire-trying-censor-century-old-konkani-theatre-2106495.html