How to donate for Maharashtra flood victims?

August 12, 2019 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

The deadly floods Maharashtra, especially in the Sangli and Kolhapur districts, have taken a number of lives and left plenty others homeless and in dire need of necessities to sustain. As per official figures, around 761 villages have been affected.

Hence, there is an urgent need to donate every day necessities to the victims in large numbers.

Maharashtra floods — NDRF officers rescuing people in Kolhapur (Photo: Skymetweather.com)

The items you can donate roughly includes:

Clothes
Food grains, sugar and salt
Packaged water
Biscuit and snacks packets
Soaps
Toothpastes and toothbrushes
Dettol or Savlon
Phenyl
Bleaching powder
Air freshners
New undergarments
Candles and matchboxes
Blankets and bed sheets
Basic medicines

If you are in Mumbai, Thane or Pune, you can donate to the following centres from August 10 to 14 from 10 am to 5 pm. This collection drive is organized by Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natyaparishad and Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal.

Mumbai:
1) Yashwantrao Chavhan Natyagruha, Matunga (West)
2) Prabhodhankar Thackeray Natyagruha, Borivali (West)

Thane:
1) Gadkari Rangayatan
2) Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagruha

Kalyan:
1) Natyaparishad Office
2) Acharya Atre Rangmandir

Pune:
Jawaharlal Nehru Sabhagruha (opposite Balgandharva Rangmandir)

Pimpri Chinchwad:
1) Natyaparishad Office
2) Pradhyapak Ramkrishna More Prekshagruha

Contact numbers for further assistance:

Mumbai: Ratnakant Jagtap 98201 47601
Pune: Vinod Satav 02025670406
Thane: Pushkar Desai 97690 05111

Monetary donation:

To donate money for the flood victims you can transfer the amount to Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natyaparishad.
Details:
Bank: Saraswat Bank
Branch: Dadar, Kelkar Road
Account No: 006200100009417
IFSC Code: SRCB 0000006

(This article will be updated with more details)

6 noteworthy moments from Article 15

June 30, 2019 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director Anubhav Sinha’s Article 15 is largely about the atrocities faced by people belonging to the backward castes. But the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer also has a lot of layers and the film ends up saying a lot without actually saying much. The end result is disturbing but at the same time positive as well.

It will be worth revisiting 6 noteworthy aspects from Article 15:

Urban-rural divide
A city bred person might get a jolt when he or she witnesses the way of living and norms of a rural area. The same happens when the protagonist Ayan Ranjan [Khurrana] is posted in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. He is shocked to see such strict practice of caste even in 2019, including the practice of not even letting the shadow of the ‘untouchables’ touch you. Article 15 doesn’t shy away from showcasing such stark reality of ‘modern’ India.

Still proud to be an Indian
Ayan Ranjan’s situation is very much like many of us. He is disturbed and disgusted to see the reality of India and is ready to expose it in front of everyone. However, he is still proud to be an Indian, like he tells her wife on phone.

It reminded me of the scene in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades where Shah Rukh Khan’s character says, “Main nahin maanta humara desh duniya ka sabse mahaan desh hai.” But deep down, he cares for the nation and agrees to leave US for it.

Ignorance is bliss?
There is a scene where Khurrana is wondering as to how people around him can behave normal and quite happy despite the gruesome crime that has taken place in the village. This is reflective of how a section of the population is turning a blind eye on various issues under the garb of nationalism these days.

Horning out castesim
Khurrana asks the caste of a vendor but her answer is overturned by the loud horn of a passing truck. This is an impressively creative way of giving a message that anybody’s caste isn’t important.

Ambedkar’s presence
The teachings of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has been hardly explored by mainstream Hindi cinema over the decades. We have had biopics on various leaders but none on him. This is a surprise since Ambedkar has had a lion’s share in the making of the Constitution Of India, the very book on which the idea of India is based. Article 15 fills the much needed void.

Heroic entry
The high point of the film for me is the entry of Article 15. The arrival of the document produces the same effect that a mass hero does when he makes a heroic entry. The words under Article 15 and the playing of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the background will always be unforgettable.

Additional reading:

Short Story: Caste Away

By: Keyur Seta

Pulwama row: Why the climax of Border is more relevant today

February 28, 2019 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

The Pulwama terrorist attack on 14 February, which killed at least 40 Indian police personnel, has triggered tensions between India and Pakistan yet again. The tragedy of the incident has increased manifolds after the disgusting behaviour of television news anchors and the countless hate-mongering social media posts.

The news anchors sitting inside the security and comfort of their air-conditioned studios have been literally demanding a war on Pakistan ever since Pulwama incident happened. A large number of the audiences watching such ‘shows’ in equally secure homes have been demanding the same and sharing posts that give an idea as if life is just a movie or a video game for them.

Of all the social media posts and memes that are shared post Pulwama attack, the prominent ones are from the Hindi film Border (1997) by J P Dutta. It is the ultimate war film that keeps lingering in the minds of the masses of India whenever a war-like situation erupts.

Short videos of scenes from the film start getting shared on social media and What’s App. Some of the prominent ones are Sunny Deol’s character’s passion to win the war, his famous Mathuradas moment, Jackie Shroff, as the Indian Air Force officer, blowing up enemies from the sky and the song ‘Hindustan,’ to name a few.

But the most defining moment of the film is its last six minutes, which somehow doesn’t pop up in people’s minds. I am yet to come across a single post or video about that portion of the film. I am sure some of you might still not be able to recall it.

The film ends with the song ‘Mere Dushman, Mere Bhai,’ which shows the horrors of war. The lyrics and its visuals make it loud and clear that war can only be ugly and devastating. The family members of soldiers are seen devastated by the loss of a son, father or brother. Something we can’t imagine while ‘demanding’ a war without the danger of losing a loved one.

Here is one example of the heart-penetrating lines of Javed Akhtar:

Hum Apne Apne Kheton Mein Gehun Ki Jagah Chawal Ki Jagah Yeh Bandooke Kyun Bote Hain
Jab Dono Hi Ki Galiyon Mein Kuchh Bhooke Bachche Rote Hain

No doubt, today Border is considered quite jingoistic, loud and, at times, silly. But we have forgotten that it actually ends by giving a message that war is never the answer and nobody gains from it. I wonder how such a profound message got lost over time. Or maybe we are conditioned to conveniently forget it?

In one of the scenes of the songs, Deol is seen saluting a dead Pakistani soldier. The frame freezes with the flags of both India and Pakistan on the screen.

I get a jolt when I compare this with the posts about ‘wiping out’ the entire Pakistan and that too by people whom I used to consider sane all these years.

By: Keyur Seta

Watch the song:

When I was shocked by 5 Kashmiri kids…

February 19, 2019 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

The recent terrorist attack at Pulwama which killed at least 40 police personnel and the never ending discussions about it have brought back memories of my Kashmir visit, of course not in a good way.

Ever since I can remember, I Kashmir has been referred to as the heaven on earth. Its visuals in numerous movies or any other television shows were enticing enough for me to visit it someday. The day finally arrived for me and my family at the end of November in 2017.

The beauty of the place marked its arrival well before we reached in the form of the breath-taking visuals from the plane from Delhi to Srinagar. Our first destination was Gulmarg. It was freezing at that time of the year. We were welcomed with snow-covered regions at the outskirts of Gulmarg. It was my first ever experience of snow.

Just hanging around the town was a therapy in itself (except when the monkeys decide to trouble you). The Gondola ride was like travelling to space; it just kept going higher and higher. The visuals at (what is called) Phase 1 looked more like the visuals of Switzerland in various Yash Chopra movies.

Similarly, our stay in the next destination, Srinagar was also pleasant, especially in the boathouse at Dal Lake. We had a short visit to Pahalgam as well, which was equally scenic.

But it was by the time we reached Pahalgam that I started having an unpleasant feeling over there. It was the day-to-day situation in Kashmir that I found inversely proportional to its natural beauty. The tension between the Indian Army-CRPF and the locals was evident.

Our driver-cum-guide provided us with plenty of information on the clashes between both sides, including the numerous stone-pelting incidents and its details. Along with soaking in the beauty of the place, this harsh reality also kept playing behind my mind.

The person sitting next to me in the plane while returning was a soldier. He narrated how they are on guard 24/7 throughout the year in extreme conditions. It showed that there are unhappy faces on both the sides.

My unpleasant feeling for the situation in Kashmir turned into shock during our last day in Pahalgam. After eating breakfast, I was taking a stroll on the streets of the town. I saw a group of small kids who must be around 7-8 years old. They were looking cute, so I decided to click their picture. They thought I am taking a video and excitedly started shouting, ‘Azaadi azaadi.’ I was speechless and somehow managed to click the picture after they were almost done.

Pahalgam in Kashmir — Faces are coloured to protect identity

I know there are separatists demanding an independent Kashmir and they have been teaching the same to the kids since their birth. But to see its result live in front of me was too much to bear.

By: Keyur Seta

Also read: The Kashmiri girl who waited for her father to return

5 reasons why the villain of 2.0 is the hero we need (Spoilers Alert!)

December 2, 2018 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

During the digital poster launch of S Shankar’s 2.0, Rajinikanth had said that Akshay Kumar’s character in the film is way interesting than his. “I am telling you the truth. The hero of 2.0 is not Rajinikanth. Akshay Kumar is the hero. If I would have been given a choice, I would have selected that (Akshay’s) character,” he had said.

“It’s a brilliant character; brilliant role. I am telling you, the whole country will applaud Akshay after the release of this picture,” added Rajinikanth.

Spoilers ahead

At that time I felt that Rajini is just being large-hearted and generous. But after watching the film, I completely agree with him. Rajini has a double role in the film and he lives up to the expectations of his fans. But I can’t stop being in awe of the character Pakshi Rajan that Akshay played.

There have been reports that the character of Pakshi Rajan is inspired from the real birdman of India Salim Ali. Read more about him here.

Pakshi Rajan is the villain of 2.0. However, he is no lesser than a hero. In fact, he is the hero we need today. Here are five reasons why:

(Note: These are his qualities while he was alive.)

Peace loving: You will hardly see a character as peace loving as Pakshi Rajan. The sight of a bird in pain would melt his heart like a mother. Healing it becomes his biggest motto. This, obviously, means that he is strictly against any form of violence.

Selfless: Pakshi Rajan spent his life for the welfare of birds. He became an ornithologist and professor to spread their knowledge and importance. He also went onto take the pain of writing books about different kind of birds.

Nature before everything: How many of us even think of the problems caused by mobile towers and mobile phone radiations on birds? Pakshi Rajan not only thought of that but refused to use mobile phone just because it harms the nature, including birds.

Fearless fighter: The character played by Akshay showed the guts of protesting against mobile companies and the government, even if it meant protesting alone. People would consider him mad but he would never give up. In fact, Pakshi Rajan even went to the extent of admonishing the Telecom Minister literally on his face inside his office.

Age-defying: Pakshi Rajan carried out the aforementioned tasks even after being in his 70s or so. Age was just a number for him.

Now, why would I consider him a villain here? Of course, he became evil after his death and went onto kill innocents, including officers from the Indian Army. However, neither these acts nor his menacing post-death VFX avatar are enough to wipe out the memories of his noble character while he was alive.

By: Keyur Seta

Manto released in the week when freedom of expression succumbed to a new low

September 22, 2018 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Nandita Das’ Manto, which is a biopic on the literary genius Saadat Hasan Manto, is based in the late 1940s and early 1950s. But after watching the Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rasika Dugal starrer, it doesn’t come across as a period film.

No, this is not a criticism towards the production design or any creative side about the film. The situation of the protagonist wherein he is made to look like a criminal for merely showing the mirror to the society reminds us of the current times. This is unfortunate as it reflects how little has changed in these 70 years after Independence.

This is not the only aspect about the film that portrays today’s era in the imaginary parallel screen inside your mind. There is a moment when the editor of a newspaper advises Manto on writing something halka-phulka (light-hearted) this time around because truth hurts.

In one scene, Manto tries making an audience understand how past invaders are blamed every time we question the authorities about the current pressing issues. This appears right out of the silly comments made by quite a few ‘leaders’ who blame the Mughals, British or Pandit Nehru for the current mess they have created.

Manto elaborates his point by passionately telling the people, “Sab peechhe dekh rahe hain, lekin aaj ke kaatil lahu aur lohe se tareekh likhte ja rahe hain.”

But the audience doesn’t take him seriously. They symbolize those who have become puppets in the hands of loud-mouthed ‘news’ anchors who can create enemies of the nation at their will in order to hide the dark acts of some people.

Apart from the content, the time of the release of Manto turned out to be the most ironical one could imagine. The film arrived just in the week when suppression of freedom of expression succumbed to a new low.

Earlier this week, Salman Khan changed the name of his upcoming production from Loveratri to Loveyatri after a lawyer and fringe organizations objected to it for allegedly hurting ‘religious’ sentiments.

Soon after, the producers of Manmarziyaan made three cuts in the film because some Sikh organizations objected to it. As per the director of the film Anurag Kashyap, he was not even informed about it.

Abhishek Bachchan, who plays one of the leads in Manmarziyaan, justified the cuts yesterday at an event and went onto say that he has no problems with it (read more about it HERE).

What has come as a rude surprise is that the producers of both films readily agreed to the demands without trying to defend their rights as artists, leave alone showing any fight. More importantly, there were hardly any serious protests; nowhere near to what happened with Udta Punjab (2016) and Padmaavat (2018).

If the big names of the industry are ready to succumb even in front of minor protests, spare a thought for a low budget independent filmmaker who can be victimized even for an actor’s hairstyle. To say that they have set a dangerous precedent is a mild way of putting it.

They have ensured that Manto shall, unfortunately, remain relevant even 70 years from now.

By: Keyur Seta

10 Years of A Wednesday: A film that gave an identity to me and this blog

September 2, 2018 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

When I went to see Neeraj Pandey’s directorial debut A Wednesday in 2008 in Dadar’s Chitra Theatre, I was expecting to see a thriller about a terrorist’s plot of carrying out multiple blasts in Mumbai being foiled by a bunch of good guys. I expected it to be a regular formula thriller, but it turned out to be the experience of a lifetime personally.

The film, which starred Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Shergill, Aamir Bashir and Chetan Pandit, completes 10 years on September 5, 2018.

During the interval point, I was convinced that I am in for some thrill. I was crazy for action or dramatic thrillers back then and used to watch every film in that genre, including Acid Factory [2009] and Woodstock Villa [2008] (don’t judge me).

But when Shah’s character revealed his true intentions and identity as the ‘Stupid Common Man,’ I was not only thrilled but also pleasantly shocked and blown away. His long monologue with hard-hitting and moving dialogues mesmerized me like anything (I still watch that scene regularly).

There must be very few occasions when I must have rooted this much for any fictional character to survive. I heaved a sigh of relief when Kher’s character lets him go. There is no denying that apart from the brilliance of the film, the subject struck an emotional chord for the Indian or Mumbaikar in me.

I also respect A Wednesday for subtly rubbishing religious and other such identities by not revealing the name of Shah’s character. “Insaan naam ke saath mazhab jod leta hai,” is what is said.

As a person, I have always been comfortable living a simple life and enjoying the simplest of joys without caring or needing any sort of luxuries. There has also been this desire to bring a change in the society, which I hardly ever express. But I didn’t know how to describe myself for following such an ideology. Well, A Wednesday helped me out with that. The Common Man it was!

Also read: Bhavesh Joshi Superhero: A film that forced me to go down memory lane.

Of course, it was the great R K Laxman that brought out the concept through his iconic cartoons. I was introduced to them much before I saw A Wednesday. But somehow it took this movie for me to latch onto the title. Maybe the power of the audio-visual medium turned out to be higher than cartoons.

Less than a year later, when I started this blog, its name came extremely easy to me.

But apart from giving me and my blog an identity, A Wednesday also made me realize the power of an ordinary man (read: humans). Normally one would expect a good looking, strong ‘hero’ with muscles to carry out the task of killing terrorists. But here was a man in his old age managing that even after his plan going haywire in between.

Not that I have been able to realize any such power till now. Maybe someday I might.

By: Keyur Seta

How to donate for Kerala flood victims? City wise details and helpline numbers

August 19, 2018 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

As we all know, the floods in Kerala have been too serious and devastating. The loss is amounted to thousands of crores. Needless to say, the victims need help and they need it now. Here is a compilation of city wise centres where you can donate items along with various helpline numbers and other modes of donation.

Collection centres:

Mumbai:

Delhi:

Hari Nagar
Near Swargashram Mandir
Contact number: 8587875939

Mahavir Enclave
C-81, MCD School Road
Mahavir Enclave Part
Contact number: 87503822423

Mayur Vihar
76 F, Pocket A-1, Phase 3
Contact number: 9911053603

Jamia Irshad
Contact number: 9656696980

Ayannagar Church Jomon
Contact number: 9633985280

Ashram
Sunil Malayali Store
Contact number: 9958129458

AIIMS
Dayal: 8556010208
Fahad: 8750603526
Midhun: 8556010209

Dilshad Garden
P/35 A, 5 Pocket P, Near Shani Mandir
Jinomon Joseph: 9495306683

Dilshad Garden
Varughese: 9990034332

Mahavir Enclave
Augustine: 8587035792

Noida:

Sector 20
E-53, 1^st Floor,
Renjith: 8010475625 and 9319761425

Dehradun:

Anandhu Chandrasekhar: 9526625771

Cochin:

Regional Sports Centre, Kadavanthra
Contact Number: 9809700000, 9895320567, 9544811555)

Photo: Kashmirnewsobserver.com

Trivandrum:

Weavers Village in Rosscote Lane, opposite Trivandrum Club; Sri Mulam Club, Vazhuthacaud; and B-hub, Mar Iavnios Vidyanagar, Nalanchira

Hyderabad:

SMR Vinay City, Bolarum Road, Miyapur
Contact Number: 900035188, 9703503573, 8886555226, 9840921173

The English and Foreign Languages University, near Sitaphalmandi Overbridge
Contact Number:8086869573, 9746286425, 91775096030

Banjara Hilla, Flat No 6-3-594/10A, Anand Nagar
Contact number: 7842216157, 8790408101, 8606821009

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, NIRD Road, Rajendranagar
Contact Number: 73820922647, 7995926635, 9633134831, 8547930466

Bengaluru:

Sankara Eye Hospital Kundalahali Gate, Varthur Main Road
Contact Number: 9739011685)

Avohi, Venus Building, Kalyana Mandapa Road, Jakkasandra Ext, Koramangala
Contact Number: 9731980066

Confederation of Indian Industry, CII, 12 Main, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar
Contact Number: 7001663618, 9740233244

Tanzeb, 4017, First Cross Road, Stage 2, Domlur
Contact Number: 9916900719)

Keli Cultural Association, Pruksa Silvana, Nimbekaipura Road, Budigere Cross, Old Madras Road
Contact Number: 9945481192

Midway City Owners Association, Concorde Midway City, Basapura Road, Hosa Road Junction
Contact Number: 9964741820, 8041234875

Ganga Vertica, Neeladri main Road, Electronic City
Contact Number: 8867846625

Chennai:

Lotus Exotic Journeys, 33/17, Thomas Nagar, Little Mount, Saidapet, Chennai – 15.
Contact Number: 9789053919

Helpline numbers as per location in Kerala:

Kasargod: 9446601700
Kannur: 91-944-668-2300
Kozhikode: 91-944-653-8900
Wayanad: 91-807-840-9770
Malappuram: 91-938-346-3212
Malappuram: 91-938-346-4212
Thrissur: 91-944-707-4424
Thrissur: 91-487-236-3424
Palakkad: 91-830-180-3282
Ernakulam: 91-790-220-0400
Ernakulam: 91-790-220-0300
Alappuzha: 91-477-223-8630
Alappuzha: 91-949-500-3630
Alappuzha: 91-949-500-3640
Idukki: 91-906-156-6111
Idukki: 91-938-346-3036
Kottayam: 91-944-656-2236
Kottayam: 91-944-656-2236
Pathanamthitta: 91-807-880-8915
Kollam: 91-944-767-7800
Thiruvananthapuram: 91-949-771-1281

A man called Nandkishore Varma is in touch with army person who has been running a rescue operation. You can What’s App him on +919526157437 with the following details:

-Co-ordniates of the location (very important)
-Address
-Contact person with mobile number
-Number of people
-Exact nature of requirement (rescue in the case of immediate danger – otherwise food and -water will be dropped)
-How many people (to decide upon the size of the rescue vehicle)
-Whether any immediate danger (old people, infirm people, sick people, babies)

Donate through Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Funds:

Account details:

Name of the donee: Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Funds

Account Number: 67319948232

Bank: State Bank of India

Branch: City Branch, Thiruvananthapuram

IFSC: SBIN0070028

PAN: AAAGD0584M

Account type: Savings

SWIFT Code: SBININBBT08

Kaala: Rajinikanth makes his dislike for Hindutva politics loud and clear

June 10, 2018 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Superstar Rajinikanth announced his entry into politics on 31 December 2017 but has so far kept mum about which side he belongs to. There is no name for his party yet, so similarly there is no party flag or colour either. But through his latest release Kaala, he has made his dislike for Right Wing and Hindutva politics loud and clear, which proves that his party’s colour is surely not Saffron. So much so that it is not mere a subtext.

SPOILERS ALERT

The Pa Ranjith directorial makes no qualms throughout the film about its severe dislike for the Saffron brigade and portraying them as villains. So, we have Nana Patekar as Hari Prasad who is the head honcho of a Saffron-clad party, thereby hinting towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He wants to build towers in Dharavi and doesn’t care a damn about its residents.

He is so self-obsessed that he makes sure his face appears everywhere and anywhere in Mumbai. He keeps making references from epics like Ramayana. He promotes initiatives like ‘Pure Mumbai’ and ‘Digital Dharavi.’ Now, you don’t need to be even close to a political expert to know whom they are indicating at.

Rajinikanth in Kaala

The builders who are hell bent in redeveloping Dharavi for their own good are called Manu Realty. Another clear criticism of the most hated ancient text, Manusmriti. A shop in Dharavi is seen selling beef, which is something the Right Wing considers blasphemous.

‘Epic’ comparison

Kaala even goes to the extent of reversing the Ramayana, called the Hindu epic. Patekar is shown as Ram, who has nicknamed Rajinikanth as Raavan. Evil elements committing atrocities against the downtrodden is, over here, Ram teaching a lesson to Raavan. Rajini’s men coming up one after the other in a fight scene are described as different heads of Raavan. And, of course, Dharavi is a symbol for Lanka.

But that’s not all as far as Hindu Gods are concerned. The evil doer is called Hari and his subordinate Vishnu. Ideally, it should be the other way round since Krishna was Vishnu’s avatar. But Kaala is a reverse journey, so that’s purely intentional. It’s Kalyug, so the avatar is more powerful than the creator and Ram is not noble.

Dalit angle

Rajini’s character is shown to be as a messiah of Dalits (I hate labeling anyone on the basis of their caste but it’s needed here for understanding). Gautam Buddha’s temple and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s picture are shown around him quite a few times and his locality is called Bhim Nagar.

Nana Patekar in Kaala

In fact, during a confrontational scene with Hari Prasad, Kaala declares, ‘I am ready to fight even ‘your’ God.’ This line subtly indicates the renouncement of Hinduism and embracing of Buddism by Dalits.

There is an article where Rajini’s die-hard fans are urging people to take Kaala as just another fictional film. But it surely won’t make any sense if Rajinikanth wholeheartedly bashes Saffron politics in a movie and supports the same in real life. As we all know, onscreen image of superstars is taken so seriously in India.

Maybe Kaala is more like a push for Rajini’s political career and his own way of revealing his political side.

P.S: Earlier in the year, Kamaal Hassan had said that it is unlikely that he would align with Rajinikanth if his political colour is Saffron. So are we in for something big?

By: Keyur Seta

We have forgotten how this group did worse than Karni Sena just 5 months ago

January 22, 2018 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

As we are all aware how the Rajput Karni Sena is violently dictating terms while putting forth their demand to ban Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padamaavat. The protests began in Rajasthan last year but have now spread to various parts of the countries. In fact, there have been continuous reports of violence over the last few days.

Needless to say, they are being allowed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led governments in some states and center to dictate terms. There has been no strict action taken despite the goons creating havoc uncontrollably.

If violence wasn’t enough, threats are being given by Karni Sena women to commit jauhar (self-immolation). The group is led by men and the violence is also created by them but they wish to be safe. How heroic!

However, although the spineless attitude of the governments is sickening, it is certainly not surprising. This is simply because they had made their intentions clear as far as appeasing fringe groups is concerned just five months ago. Strangely, I have not heard anyone recalling this disturbing incident despite its massive similarity with the ongoing Karni Sena crisis.

Picture: Hindustan Times

Self-styled Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, known for his roles in and as MSG, was convicted of raping two girls in August last year by the Punjab and Haryana Court. Following this, his huge number of followers went on a violent rampage by randomly destroying public and state properties by either vandalizing or setting them ablaze.

What made it even worse was that 30 people were reported dead in the entire chaos by the supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief. See the entire timeline of events HERE.

Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana (the same person who has given some shockingly chauvinistic statements and has taken the recent rapes lightly and labeled some as ‘fake’) came under severe fire for allowing thousands of Dera supporters to gather outside the court premises despite knowing their gruesomely violent nature.

You don’t even need to be half intelligent to predict how his mad supporters would react once their hero is pronounced guilty of such heinous crimes. Not just that, Ram Rahim was allowed an entourage of 200 cars while going to the court! The state acted only after severe damage to lives and property took place. The Dera chief is close to the BJP and his supporters are a big vote bank for them.

In fact, the party spokespersons were not even ready to speak against Ram Rahim on news chat shows that night despite him being convicted of rape (the charges against him are far worse, including mass castration). These are the same people who are ready to bash the opposition even for a tweet.

Similarly, right now they are not ready to condemn Karni Sena’s goons, leave alone take action. After all, Rajputs form a large vote bank in the northern and central areas of India.

So, those who are aware of the five-month old history shouldn’t be surprised to see it being repeated.

By: Keyur Seta