Somehow, we seem to have lost a sense of proportion and
perspective over issues.
For example our PM is either a dangerous monster or the
greatest statesman to have walked the earth. There is nothing in between and no
one can discuss anything with the pro and anti Modi groups without taking one
of these extreme positions. There is a growing culture of taking up half-truths
and parading them as universal facts written on stone, on almost all issues.
Aamir Khan went overboard with his view on intolerance in
India. He may have an opinion on the issue like others, but I do not see any way
in which someone’s wife in his social class, Hindu or Muslim, someone who has
access to Z level security, can be insecure enough to think of leaving the
country. His view indeed contradicted many stands he has taken in the past and
the fact that he is superstar in this nation. Probably he should have
articulated better.
Just as I find his statement immature and not really well
thought out, I am equally surprised by the reaction to his comment. TV channels
are only showing this news, I would like to know how my friends in Chennai are
doing now. Or for that matter would Russia take any action against the fighter
jet that was downed by Turkey today, but no!
People on FB and Twitter are angry. He made a statement that
has hurt people and others have the right to contradict him, many have rightly
done so, probably because many like him a lot. But protesting in front of his
house and throwing stones, uninstalling Snapdeal Apps, are these things not
going overboard again? Is this issue so big that warrants this kind of action?
If so, should we not have similar protests when Sakshi Maharaj for example, repeatedly
spouted nonsense? Are those comments not worse for a nation like ours? We talk
of “selective” anger, is this not selective “patriotism”?
I heard people say that all this is tarnishing our image in
the world. Let us think of some headlines in foreign newspapers tomorrow. “Indian
movie superstar picketed and his posters burnt by protesters because of comment
on intolerance” or “Indian ecommerce App ratings go down, as protests against
actor who made a comment on intolerance”. Would this be good for the image for
India? Are these actions now not justifying what Aamir Khan said?
Coming back to being selective, Kamal Hassan had also
threatened to leave India when Muslim fanatics wanted his movie banned. I did
not hear anyone call him anti national? I did not like the movie PK, not
because I thought it insulted religion, but because it had a poor script and at
times, poor direction. The movie made 300+ crores and that shows we Indians do
not mind criticism of our religion and are overall tolerant. But fringe
elements protested a lot, I can see some posts on FB today. However “Oh My God”
took on religion equally strongly, if not more, but protests were not raised
against Paresh Rawal.
We need to think why?
In any case these are actors and
not script writers or directors so why target them? Why nothing was said
against Raju Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra or Abhijat Joshi? Do we fall for ideological propaganda based upon our own
subconscious prejudices, without thinking in a fair manner?
On the larger debate of intolerance, I think there has been
an overreaction and in some cases there were vested political and/or
ideological interests. But then, if Nayantara Sehgal is Nehru’s niece, although
she does not seem to have enjoyed good relations with the Gandhi family, Anupam
Kher’s wife is also a BJP MP. However for many, that seems to have nothing to
do with the great actor supporting the current government.
To dismiss everything as a Congress ploy, saying that
everyone has been paid to return awards or speak against real or perceived intolerance
is very simplistic and is making the current government lose the battle of
perception, because there are genuine people in this lot. The President of
India, the Vice President, Gulzar, Raghuram Rajan, Kiran Mazumdar, Narayanmurthy,
eminent scientists, writers, directors, retired army men among others have
spoken up. Challenging the credibility of some of these people may really
backfire as it probably did in Bihar. Just to set the record straight, even after
the Bihar elections, 3 writers have returned awards and we have had the issue
with Girish Karnad and now Aamir Khan, so it is not entirely due to politics.
It is not easy being a PM and being Modi is tougher. However
if I were the PM, I would have invited some of these people, maybe Gulzar,
Kiran Majumdar, Dibakar Banerjee and an eminent writer, maybe Anupam Kher and
Shyam Benegal too for a 30 minute “chai par charcha”. Would have listened to their concerns and views,
reassured them and would have posted the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
But that may antagonize the hardcore Hindu vote bank, so Modi has his compulsions
and barriers.
All I am saying is, as citizens, let us try to be a bit more
balanced in our views, read and consider all kinds of opinions, know the full
truth and not many half-truths and then form our views. Over the years we seem
to be becoming too opinionated, harbouring extreme ideas, one way or the other.
It need not be either this group or that group and always hating one party or
person or the other.
Nothing is black and white in this world, it is high time we
appreciate shades of grey, to off white, light black and so on.
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