http://www.andhrajyothy.com/Artical?SID=169302
What can you say if some one questions the choice of the flag bearer claiming that the tallest person is no better than any other. Your reply would be, "Don't you get the simple point? It is a matter of increased Visibility! By doing this we are drawing attention, which serves our purpose."
The 'returning of awards' is a symbolic gesture which attracts the masses and compels them to think about the growing intolerance in the society. For once, the initiative is attracting international media as well for all the right reasons and it is not a bad sign.
Cricketers had protested a few years back, against the high handedness of the Board. They stood united and it looked like they had succeeded to some extent. No one from the cricket world neither questioned their credibility nor trivialized their stance, in spite of the fact that match fixing scandals were doing the rounds. When a film star or a celebrity extends their support to any cause, I don't remember any one discouraging their effort by saying that the stars are pitching to grab attention.
More over, have we ever seen a person who is in distress, and yet denies the help offered to him on the grounds that the fame of the celebrity is fake or ill earned. I know for sure that when one is in trouble, he would grab any help that comes his way with both the hands . He would never argue about as to why they have decided to help now and why not sooner.
But in this case, the writers are targeted not only by the politicians but by the fellow literary minds as well for speaking out their mind on behalf of all the 'rational beings' .
It is a known fact that the oppressed classes and especially the poorer minorities are more susceptible to the manifestations of the religious intolerance. They tend to become the easy victims of the cruelties of the Powerful. There is a possibility that these oppressed classes would get the due representation while the protest of the writers gains momentum.
Some people undermine this fact saying that the award system was almost always dominated by the upper classes. Hence they call the issue of award rejection, an elite affair. But, contrary to their belief when the writers' united voice gains strength, it can bring the turmoils of the less fortunate into the creative space more vividly.
It is a wise thing to see the reason behind the activity as more important than the person who is performing it. One needs to check whether it is a justified cause to protest against the intolerance and if he/she feels that it will help the people, then they should use their discretion in supporting it.
Now we witness an unusual development- along with the writers, some artists decided to return their awards too "in protest of the Fascist attitudes". Relinquishing their customary neutral stance, some of the top scientists as well, chose to join the brigade and to express their angst. Government's persistent refusal to acknowledge the issue of protest proves the very necessity of the dissent.
It looks like the 'esteemed personalities' who were honoured by the state, for their 'invaluable contribution' in their respective fields, have become unworthy opponents over night. Their point of view is considered as a political remark and the government is not ready to lend an ear to the 'luminaries'.To add insult to the injury they are called names by the political hot heads.
The biggest achievement for any movement lies in the building up of a Public Opinion. The intelligentsia would aspire to involve the common man in the 'cause' by raising the right objections, asking the relevant questions, conducting debates and educating him.
Doubting the integrity of these writers or the validity of the award distribution system at this point would inadvertently harm the spirit of the movement. The common man would distance himself from the issue as he would see it as an 'internal debate of the intellectuals'.
Yet, if one so strongly feels against the whole issue of protest and would wish to exercise their 'Right to Express', he can continue to do so but not at the cost of the common man. I request those people who are against the awards distribution system to fulfill their obligation of a social commentator towards the 'greater good'.
Kindly spare a small portion in your essays to take stock of the situation, investigate the reason for the Protest, analyse the steps of the government in that light, warn the people of the consequences of religious intolerance and condemn the fascist attitudes before these very attitudes take deep roots into the society.
Some intellectuals say that they don't want to participate in this protest as they identify their awards as State Recognition. It is a personal choice to make. But I would like to remind them that they can still question the methods of the government, if they see the need for it. Every one and any one can take up the cause according to his ability and make his fellow citizens aware of this issue.
The thought of protesting against the autocracy is noble kindly spare us the politicization of the issue when the stakes are huge.
Translation of the above article:
Try to imagine a vast crowded area in which you are lost, your voice dies into the noise around you and you are not sure whether your words make sense to the person next to you. Desperately you try to find some means to reach out to your lost friends. Suddenly you remember that you possess a flag that represents your tribe. You decide to keep the flag in the hands of the tallest person so as to attract your friends who have been scattered all around.What can you say if some one questions the choice of the flag bearer claiming that the tallest person is no better than any other. Your reply would be, "Don't you get the simple point? It is a matter of increased Visibility! By doing this we are drawing attention, which serves our purpose."
The 'returning of awards' is a symbolic gesture which attracts the masses and compels them to think about the growing intolerance in the society. For once, the initiative is attracting international media as well for all the right reasons and it is not a bad sign.
Cricketers had protested a few years back, against the high handedness of the Board. They stood united and it looked like they had succeeded to some extent. No one from the cricket world neither questioned their credibility nor trivialized their stance, in spite of the fact that match fixing scandals were doing the rounds. When a film star or a celebrity extends their support to any cause, I don't remember any one discouraging their effort by saying that the stars are pitching to grab attention.
More over, have we ever seen a person who is in distress, and yet denies the help offered to him on the grounds that the fame of the celebrity is fake or ill earned. I know for sure that when one is in trouble, he would grab any help that comes his way with both the hands . He would never argue about as to why they have decided to help now and why not sooner.
But in this case, the writers are targeted not only by the politicians but by the fellow literary minds as well for speaking out their mind on behalf of all the 'rational beings' .
It is a known fact that the oppressed classes and especially the poorer minorities are more susceptible to the manifestations of the religious intolerance. They tend to become the easy victims of the cruelties of the Powerful. There is a possibility that these oppressed classes would get the due representation while the protest of the writers gains momentum.
Some people undermine this fact saying that the award system was almost always dominated by the upper classes. Hence they call the issue of award rejection, an elite affair. But, contrary to their belief when the writers' united voice gains strength, it can bring the turmoils of the less fortunate into the creative space more vividly.
It is a wise thing to see the reason behind the activity as more important than the person who is performing it. One needs to check whether it is a justified cause to protest against the intolerance and if he/she feels that it will help the people, then they should use their discretion in supporting it.
Now we witness an unusual development- along with the writers, some artists decided to return their awards too "in protest of the Fascist attitudes". Relinquishing their customary neutral stance, some of the top scientists as well, chose to join the brigade and to express their angst. Government's persistent refusal to acknowledge the issue of protest proves the very necessity of the dissent.
It looks like the 'esteemed personalities' who were honoured by the state, for their 'invaluable contribution' in their respective fields, have become unworthy opponents over night. Their point of view is considered as a political remark and the government is not ready to lend an ear to the 'luminaries'.To add insult to the injury they are called names by the political hot heads.
The biggest achievement for any movement lies in the building up of a Public Opinion. The intelligentsia would aspire to involve the common man in the 'cause' by raising the right objections, asking the relevant questions, conducting debates and educating him.
Doubting the integrity of these writers or the validity of the award distribution system at this point would inadvertently harm the spirit of the movement. The common man would distance himself from the issue as he would see it as an 'internal debate of the intellectuals'.
Yet, if one so strongly feels against the whole issue of protest and would wish to exercise their 'Right to Express', he can continue to do so but not at the cost of the common man. I request those people who are against the awards distribution system to fulfill their obligation of a social commentator towards the 'greater good'.
Kindly spare a small portion in your essays to take stock of the situation, investigate the reason for the Protest, analyse the steps of the government in that light, warn the people of the consequences of religious intolerance and condemn the fascist attitudes before these very attitudes take deep roots into the society.
Some intellectuals say that they don't want to participate in this protest as they identify their awards as State Recognition. It is a personal choice to make. But I would like to remind them that they can still question the methods of the government, if they see the need for it. Every one and any one can take up the cause according to his ability and make his fellow citizens aware of this issue.
The thought of protesting against the autocracy is noble kindly spare us the politicization of the issue when the stakes are huge.
No comments:
Post a Comment