Articles by GPD

Indians are great champions of banning anything and everything. Why is it that we prefer prohibition and vandalism to a frontal and intellectual attack on the book or work of art in question? There is a peculiar kind of rebelliousness that has no use for academics and is yet ready to sit in judgment on what is right and wrong in academics, literature, journalism and the like.

The annual Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Pune has a long history going back to the early 2oth century. The events surrounding the 83rd sammelan, held last month, when Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and actor Amitabh Bachchan were to share the stage were farcical. The chief minister simply failed to realise that sharing a stage with someone you disagree with is, in the ultimate analysis, a very small matter.

While Indian elites hanker after recognition from the American dominated world, we have debased our own awards. They are now often given for services rendered to the powers that be. What does this hankering tell us about ourselves?

The Indian people have been miles ahead of the Bollywood boys or media savvy purandhrees in fulfilling their democratic duties as far as voting is concerned. Who are these glamour boys and girls to educate or sit in judgment on them?

In the reams and reams expended on criticising Pramod Muthalik, the Sree Ram Sene and their ilk for their attacks on women, we do not see that the Muthalik kind of defence of Indian "culture" is the result of our incomplete modernisation. This is what Muthalik's violence, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's tacit acquiescence with such behaviour and Union Women's Affairs Minister Renuka Choudhary's response all share in common.