Deletion Sans Debate
By Poonam I Kaushish
Ouch, the truth hurts! This dear readers was the sum total of the cruel joke perpetrated on us by our netagan. Who believe humour is unpatriotic. Not for them that cartoons have enlivened political discourse for centuries. And made us laugh in the midst of rampant corruption, venal self-opinionated portentous leaders and increasingly feudalistic burdensome democracy. Simply, because, laughter, is the best medicine!
Alas, this joy de verve came crashing down when an unknown Kanpur cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was jailed for sedition as his anti-corruption cartoons lampooned our august institutions and Constitution. One, replacing the three lions in the national emblem with wolves and the line Bhrastamev Jayate (Corruption always triumphs) instead of Satyamev Jayate (Truth always triumphs.) Two, showing Parliament as a toilet bowl full of sleaze. Three, terrorist Ajmal Kasab urinating on the Constitution.
Predictably, all political hell broke loose. Leaders fell over each other dubbing Trivedi’s caricatures as an act of “treason and offensive. Our Constitution, flag and emblem are beyond critique”, they asserted. This grandstanding is not only deplorable, downright dangerous but shows a worrying lack of tolerance turning comedy into a tragedy.
True one can accuse Trivedi of bad taste, crude caricatures but in no way does it warrant being slapped in jail for sedition. Arguably, what is it that hasn’t been said before? Don’t his drawings reflect what everyone is thinking? Mirroring our polity’s actions? But seditious? Never.
According to Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code: Sedition is an attempt to bring into hatred or contempt the lawful Government. Arguably, none of Trivedi’s cartoons calls for overthrowing the Government or merit him being labeled anti-national. He is only an angry aam aadmi livid with our system and fighting against corruption via his trade.
Raising a moot point: Are we becoming an intolerant society? Bordering on a narcissist phobia? Wherein icons are placed on pedestals beyond censure? And the Constitution and emblem justification to stifle critique? No matter, that these are symbolic of every Indian’s freedom credentials!
Clearly, to take offence at cartoons is to be intolerant of criticism, a move towards authoritarianism. Whereby, netas view themselves as holy cows who can not be criticized leave alone laughed at. Using security, nation and flag as a façade to throttle freedom of dissent
But Trivedi is not the first or last to be rebuffed by a touchy moribund Administration. Legendary cartoonist Shankar was posthumously upbraided and his illustration yanked off from NCERT books following a hue and cry by our Right Honourables led by BSP’s supremo Mayawati. All showcasing their ‘angst’ like badges of honour, notwithstanding, these have been part of school syllabi since 2006
Specially one showing Nehru with a whip and Ambedkar sitting on a snail named “Constitution”, a comment on the slow, laborious process of forming the document. Recall, neither Ambedkar nor Nehru objected to the cartoon. In fact, Nehru was on record by telling Shankar, “Don’t spare me.” Are we to believe that what was good in 1949 is inappropriate for 2012?
Undeniably, to create a controversy on the absurd ground that the cartoon “insulted” Ambedkar is downright ridiculous. Thanks to increased Dalit power and populist vote-bank politics, the Father of the Constitution has become an article of faith for Dalits. Akin to what the Gandhi dynasty is to the Congress or Karunanidhi to DMK. But to embalm him in political hypocrisy insults the courage of man.
The story doesn’t end here. Next, West Bengal capricious stormy petrel Mamata put a professor behind bars for satirizing her. Thus, in a milieu where patriotism spells sycophancy spells political correctness, anyone transgressing this, is seen as a desh drohi. Whereby, caricatures are the sure-fire recipe to jail. Undeniably to take offence at cartoons, reminds one of the dark Emergency days and spells a move towards authoritarianism.
Think. Aren’t our Right Honourables, elected to safeguard our Constitutional democracy, of which freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental and inviolable part? Yet in a country boasting of 70% poverty and aangootha chaaps, our polity instead of focusing their energy on crucial issues that threaten the country like Maoist terror, increasing casteism, communalism, rising disparities et al, think there is more political mileage in creating controversies over irrelevancies and non-issues.
Welcome to the phenomenon of competitive intolerance as MPs read cartoon which criticise them as part of a larger conspiracy to denigrate the nation and corrupt young minds. Thus, we will now be inundated by a torrent of demands to ban more and more expressions of culture, art and knowledge.
What is worrisome is that mobocracy and majoritarianism is fast replacing reasoned debate. Big deal, if it strikes at the democratic roots of Parliament or outside. Whereby, political correctness is the new strain of political hypocrisy which adds zing to sycophancy wherein a combination of both put together totals absolute power.
Finally, the danger is not of a few controversial cartoons being removed from textbooks or periodicals, without reason but that this is just the beginning. Of raucous noises of identity politics through show of brute Parliamentary majority declaring “victory” over what they perceive as prejudicial and irreverent.
Of course, this might prove counter-productive as it exposes petty, egocentric netas steeped in yesteryear prejudices. Wherein they themselves insult, denigrate and deify icons turning institutions into empty symbols, worse than any caricature. Indeed, it is sad that our polity has lost all sense The world over leaders are lampooned. Be it former US President George Bush. He was invariably shown as a small figure being guided by his father or by his Vice-President Dick Cheney. The Queen Mother was a favourite of humour columnists and cartoonists who repeatedly referred to her fondness for gin and racehorses. British Prime Minister David Cameron is routinely made fun of in the press, as are other European leaders. What next? We can be sure that in future young impressionable minds will be nurtured on nice, sanitised, uncontroversial and pro-neta version of our history. Since governance is growing increasingly fanatical of any criticism and dictatorial wherein at a drop of a hat, bans are imposed and news, views et al censored history is almost certain to pander to our petty, narcissist and self-serving jan sevaks. The latest case is India earning the title of a wet internet nanny busy whetting social sites. All in all, our leaders need to realize that by indulging in all these shenanigans they are making caricatures of themselves, and not too engaging or humorous ones at that. Remember, Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship”. India road to salvation lies in our leaders searching resisting becoming the butt of ridicule and the bone of contention! —- INFA