The arrest of a celebrated postgraduate graphics student, Chandramohan Srilamantula, for allegedly obscene artwork involving representations of Hindu deities et al, and the suspension of the faculty, Acting Dean Shivaji Pannikar, who ‘dared’ support him in Gujarat is a sad state of affairs.
The arrest has motivated by a complaint by a local BJP leader, who then proceeded to remonstrate his ‘anguish’ at the artist’s work by barging into the Institute concerned and lambasting the student and his supporters for their insensitivity to ‘Hindu’ sentiments. The local Government being of the same party, the Vice-Chancellor turned a blind eye to what was essentially a case of unwarranted and illegal trespassing in a private area. The ‘notable’ also chose to sit twiddling his thumbs as the police carted of the ‘offending’ student to gaol.
While public sentiments and morality may have been offended, and I stress on the ‘may’, this was not the manner in which the matter should have been pursued. No one has empowered the BJP or any singular political party to behave as the moral code enforcement brigade for anyone. For one thing, I was unaware India ever had a singular moral code which could be enforced in this manner. Morality is a matter of personal beliefs, and should be ideally left to the individual to deal with in his/her personal domain, rather than be mandated by the State or by anyone aspiring to such a status.
The BJP leader, in his zeal et al, conveniently forgets the temple complexes at Khajuraho, which depict the same Hindu deities in perhaps the same poses which he finds objectionable today. Maybe he will tomorrow have them demolished as well?
Hinduism per se doesn’t have a code of acceptable virtues and unacceptable behavior, at least not of the likes of Islam and Christianity, who have their hadiths and their Commandments to guide them. So to say that something is offending to the Hindus would mean implying such a code exists, a fallacy of the greatest order if there was any.
The State cannot bring upon itself to adjudicate whether a certain object can be deemed offensive to a certain section of society, without that society rising up to say so. But it is obliged to protect the freedom of expression of an individual, especially when the expression is done with an aim to enlighten, to spread knowledge.
True, the freedom of expression is limited by the predilection of those who hide behind its protective arms to foment trouble by mischief. When it is so, I say pull the offenders out and punish them in a manner befitting their tomfoolery.
If it can be proved that the student concerned created the ‘offensive’ work with the intention to titillate the sentiments of a specific commune or of the people in general, I say the arrest is valid. But due process should have been followed, that is my plea and entreaty. Morality must be preserved, but then follow the dictum of 'each according to the dictates of his own conscience'.
5 comments:
"Celebrated postgraduate student"?
What are you talking about, Reddy?
I am not too sure anyone had heard of him before this thing happened.
This is, however not what I wanted to say about this matter. It is the regularity of this non-sense that alarms me the most. While it was usual to see some Shiv-sainik, VHP activist to take to the streets about something "offending" his morality, this was most often an effort to gain mindspace among their so-called constituency.
However, we see that today this vandalism and lawlessness has become a symbol of some groups(not just the Sangh Parivar).
If we cannot get these law-breakers to book, the triumphant sentiment of India of being "the-next-super-power" will be reduced to a cruel joke.
Neeraj: The chap has been given an award by the Lalit Kala Akademi, which I believe, is the foremost institution in the areas of the fine arts. So 'celebrated' would seem an apt adjective here.
As regards the vandalism and lawlessness that you speak of, I agree that we need to deal with them firmly and put across the message that whilst you may be offended, there are proper channels through which you may take recourse, of which violence is not one.
As regards superpower status, such status neither is an impediment nor a disqualification for the denizens of a nation from being xenophobic, racist, elitist or patronizing. The USA wasn't a twiddly-piddly state when the Ku Klux Klan movements were going on. Russia wasn't a power novice when it was organizing pogroms against dissenters. China wasn't insignificant when it humiliated intellectuals during the Cultural Revolution.
By Superpower I mean not just a nation who can go to war and win them. I mean a nation who holds intellectual and moral superiority over the rest. Who's institutions are a model for others for other to follow.
By this definition, Russia, China are out. Modern USA, despite its horrendous crimes in war, has a large number of institutions that are egalitarian in character. There are not too many countries where you could so openly criticize your govt's war plans without having your patriotism questioned.
You may also recollect how the US president's daughters were caught by the police for underage drinking.
These are things worth emulating. India may become an economic superpower if it continues at the current growth rates. It may become a military superpower if things go that way.
But for it to become a true superpower, it will need to setup institutions that are unbiased, efficient work towards protecting law abiding citizens.
Sweden isn't designated a superpower, and it displays intellectual and moral superiority when it refuses to associate its pension fund investments with companies that manufacture cluster bombs or with nation-states that deny their citizens basic human rights and privileges.
The case of Mr. Bush's daughters being caught by the police for underage drinking is an interesting example, if only they had been prosecuted as provided in the penal codes. I find no evidence per se suggesting to that effect. So how can this be an example of the US administration's 'unbiased' approach towards justice?
Mind you, when a nation is led by jingoistic fools, every critic is a traitor and every supporter a patriot. The rule is universal, be it in India or in the USA. Gujarat has its share of idiots and it is these idiots who in their lust for publicity commit such acts. That the State doesn't act against them is a failing of the incumbent administration, and not of the State per se. The system is good to say so, but the devil lies in the details.
It really is fascinating to see how nincompoops who know nothing about art, take up the mantle of judges under the guise of morality and the culture-crusade! As rightly stated in the post, it is not their job to prosecute the allegedly-accused, but to take recourse to the proper means. Unless, the State intervenes to put an end to this idiocy, God knows what's next - Married men beware, you might have people barging into your house accusing you of immorality and throwing you behind bars!!!
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