I have read with interest the controversy on the forthcoming movie AARAKSHAN. The issue, to me, seems to be unnecessary and uncalled for. The movie produced by Prakash Jha, renowned movie personality, is yet to be released. The controversy that the movie is against the dalits is based on hearsay. The public does know the contents and the message, if any, of the movie. I read some months before that the lead actor in the movie Saif Ali Khan was harassed and threatened by the concerned. I read t
he other day that some forum has been made in Jalandhar to oppose the movie. Today, I read that P.L. Punia, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Scheduled Caste Commission have desired to see the movie before it is released. The producer Prakash Jha and the Censor Board headed by Leela Samson have not agreed to do so. On intervention by the Ministry of Information, a special screening of the movie was arranged by the Censor Board for a 9 member Panel (5 members of the panel belonged to dalit community) constituted for the purpose. They did not find any objectionable content and intension in the movie. The movie is scheduled to be released on August 12.I have not seen the movie. Most of the so called activists who have apprehensions about the movie have also not seen it either. What is the controversy then? Is it inferiority complex? Is it fear? Is it ignorance? Is it exploitation or blackmail by the vested interests? We are living in a democracy and shall not be afraid of debate and discussion. Let people speak their mind in a civilized way. The dalits shall prepare themselves to meet them make their point, if there is any. Democracy also provides them the power of vote. Defeat the adversary, if required, at the Hastings. Dr. Ambedkar. became the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly by his own right. Jagjiva
n Ram could not become the Prime Minister in spite of the fact that he was the most competent and eligible to hold the position. Mayawati is holding the coveted position of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time on the basis of her own strength and ability. Let us shed the fear and get ready for the fight by democratic means in the parliament, legislatures and the society at large. I heard one of the songs of the movie AARAKSHAN which goes something like this:जरा पंख तो खोलो फिर उड़ान देखना; जरा मौका तो दो फिर आस्मां देखना !
Well said! Where there is a will there is a way. I just hope with the new generation and with more education reaching the masses, the gap between the castes diminishes.
ReplyDeletethanks dear. self confidence is a must. one shall have the mind and strength to listen to others. i have witten today yey another blog on the on going debate on corruption etc.
ReplyDeletePrakash Jha, Amitabh Bachan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone are depicting how a dalit boy argue for his right. But matter of concern is none of them are experienced how dalit's life is. How many of them are visited dalit area, slum area, definitely not, then how can express dalit feelings. It is mockery against dalit. So they dont have any right to comment about dalit. We are 25 per centage of total population, do we have voice to express. See how 1 or 2 per centage of population are dominating. If they continue then repercusion will be very serious.
ReplyDeleteUntill unless we get Educational, Social and Economic equality we require reservation. Merit cant be combared among unequals. When Brahmins holded Reservation in education, kshathriyas in land holding and Vyshyas in Business no one questioned. Then why dint above mentioned ancestors (Prakash Jha, Amitabh Bachan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone)dint raise the questions. Hence, what ever these people are doing is unacceptable.
ReplyDeletethanks kumar. i understand your feelings. you have raised a valid question that for centuries there remained reservation for the upper castes in all good and worthwhile things. merit is meaning less among unequals. yhis argument also has force.
ReplyDeletebut my assertion in the blog was that we shall not be afraid of debate or talk. we shall meet them to set the position right and in perspective. moreover, why fight artists, they are only acting. i have not seen the movie as yet. we shall not get bothered unduely. self help and self confidence is the crux.
I'm not a dalit, but I know the sufferings they have been met out for centuries together. Why did the Prakash Jhas and Bachans not make a movie on the Khairlanji killing of dalits which was on account of the fact that the family had emancipated themselves thro' education and had become somewhat well-off or on the issue of non-entry of dalits into temples. Let them prove me otherwise. The best thing that we can do to the dalits is by not harping on the reservation policy which is very much within their rights and which has been constitutionally validated, which means the film is anti-constitutional and then how the censor board allowed it in the first place. Had this been about brahmins the Hindu party that BJP is would have been on the roads, but not the dalits because they and Hindu OBCs are not truly Hindus as per their definition.
ReplyDeleteWhen (or if) the movie gets released, the audience will get a chance to appreciate or criticize its ideology and message. What I don't like is the fact that all this controversy about the movie is artificially increasing its value and publicity. It is very much possible that the authors of the movie did not have genuine interest in pursuing this topic; they might have simply chosen a provocative topic in order to attract interest (even trough causing rage), create a blockbuster and finally earn a lot of money.
ReplyDeletethanks Anonymous. you are righr there are many social issues pertaining to dalit empowerment and eradication of in built discrimination against dalits which the society be they the film makers or the leaders of the so called civil society shall address. i would also tend to agree that there is no specipic need to bring the issue of reservation in undue focus which tends to polarise the society. but at the sametime, i am all in favour of enlightened debate on all issues of concern and interest.
ReplyDeletethanks sanjana. we are a democratic country. i hope that the society also imbives the traits of democracy. there is no harm in having a good debate and appreciation on issues of concern.
ReplyDelete