Chauvinistic politics in name of patriotism 

Encountering anarchy with anarchy will reduce the world to ashes. It requires only a few animalistic and barbaric psychopaths to disrupt and create anarchy in a civilised society. Though the entire populace in India is seething and bristling with fury over the Uri attacks and seeking retaliatory actions, the demand for ban on Pakistani artistes cannot definitely be one among them. Because, such measures do not serve any purpose or objective.

If the proponents of the ban are of the opinion that banning artistes will force Pakistan to see reason and change its ways, then they are cloistered in a state of delusion. Pakistan is an anarchic country ruled by fundamentalist-terrorist-ISI-military conglomerate with atavistic mindset. The so-called democratically established governments are impotent and mere puppets in the stranglehold of this dangerous combine.

So, the question here is how would a ban on artistes make any difference to India? Since the answer is obvious, let us take the more contentious issue of the reactions and dictates by fringe political elements like the Shiv Sena and its cousin the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). While their behaviour as a law unto themselves is intolerable, attempts by the MNS to impose their intolerance and deeply embedded communal animosity on the nation should be stymied in the strongest possible way.

But, on the contrary, the nation is witnessing Centre and state governments genuflecting to the Shiv Sena and the MNS. While these home grown anarchic groups are dictating terms, Centre and the Maharashtra governments have been displaying a rather pusillanimous and reconciliatory attitude towards them. Though of a different mould, these groups also hold sway and create fear psychosis through threats of violence and anarchy if their diktats are not adhered to. The history of the Shiva Sena and its offshoot MNS have always been marked by arson, violence and hatred.

All the political establishments, irrespective of their affiliations and ideologies have due to obvious reasons, have preferred not to interfere or intervene in the nefarious activities of the Shiva Sena and the MNS. The latest reconciliatory efforts with these groups by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the ban on Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil have brought the government’s impotence to the fore.

Instead of reining in the MNS and warning them of stringent action if they resort to violence, both the Centre and the state governments seemed to have reconciled to the threat perception, reflected in their propensity to ‘talk it over’ and come to a solution. Meanwhile, the MNS came out with a ludicrous demand to break the stalemate and ‘permit’ the screening of the film. Karan Johar was ‘intimidated’ or exhorted – extorted - to deposit Rs 5 crore in the name of the soldiers who were victims of the Uri attack.

While, there is no denying the fact that the soldiers genuinely deserve it, the criticism that is making the rounds is the manner in which it is being done. The pertinent question is can charity be forced through threats or should it be given with genuine intent? Or, should the ends justify the means? Moreover, how in MNS view would the amount given by Johar make a difference to their avowed objective of banning Pakistani artistes?

By Satyapal Menon