It was somewhere in the midst of Ban and Boycotts for Bharat (India) - A facade my country has started to don lately.
Here is a quick recap of bans on creativity and choices we make as individuals.
(This is not comprehensive list and in no order of preference):
1. India's Daughter was banned because it projects bad image of India. BBC was sent a notice by the Indian authorities and the documentary was taken down from the internet.
2. It was in the midst of a Beef Ban (cow slaughter ban) imposed in Maharashtra as Cow is worshiped by Hindus (majority religion in India) and Indian authorities are presumably stepping towards Hindu theocracy (overshadowing India's secular constitution). Cows will receive legal protection and mug shots with identity proofs are being created. The ban is likely to be extended across the country.
3. It was a ban that Un-freedom Movie was subjected to for focusing on homosexuality as it can promote unnatural passion.
4. Kalki Koechlin's 'Margarita With A Straw' cleared by Censor Board with only one cut - of a 12-second kissing scene. It is a film about a woman with cerebral palsy coming to terms with her queer sexuality.
5. The word Bombay beeped out of Mihir Joshi's songtrack 'Sorry' because it is 'offensive' to use primitive nomenclature (Bombay) for Mumbai. The track is a conversation between a father and his daughter and I wrote it after the Nirbhaya Gang rape case in December 2012.ay
Here is a quick recap of bans on creativity and choices we make as individuals.
(This is not comprehensive list and in no order of preference):
1. India's Daughter was banned because it projects bad image of India. BBC was sent a notice by the Indian authorities and the documentary was taken down from the internet.
 |
| Un-ban our choices, Un-ban our freedom Source - Google |
2. It was in the midst of a Beef Ban (cow slaughter ban) imposed in Maharashtra as Cow is worshiped by Hindus (majority religion in India) and Indian authorities are presumably stepping towards Hindu theocracy (overshadowing India's secular constitution). Cows will receive legal protection and mug shots with identity proofs are being created. The ban is likely to be extended across the country.
3. It was a ban that Un-freedom Movie was subjected to for focusing on homosexuality as it can promote unnatural passion.
4. Kalki Koechlin's 'Margarita With A Straw' cleared by Censor Board with only one cut - of a 12-second kissing scene. It is a film about a woman with cerebral palsy coming to terms with her queer sexuality.
5. The word Bombay beeped out of Mihir Joshi's songtrack 'Sorry' because it is 'offensive' to use primitive nomenclature (Bombay) for Mumbai. The track is a conversation between a father and his daughter and I wrote it after the Nirbhaya Gang rape case in December 2012.ay
Here are the lyrics of the song:
I am sorry sweetheart
This is the world I am giving you today.
It is the same thing no matter what you read…
From Delhi to Bombay. I wish it was different darling...
Wish you could feel nice and safe.
But the world’s gone crazy, I don't know what to say’
6. Amendments to Section 66 A of the Information Technology Act was aimed at banning my liberty to speak my mind online. Thankfully the Supreme Court of India rendered it unconstitutional. And I am relieved as my Facebook updates will not invite an arrest order from the authorities on grounds of offensive, while I attempt to show my dissent.
7. Creators of All India Bakchod Roost were forced to take down the video from Youtube as it breached Indian values. Outcry over creative cinematic ventures like Haider, PK are not alien to Indians. And even the infamous movie 50 Shades of Grey made to banned items in India.
As I write this post, I am enraged. I have a question for those who support these bans and promote boycotts in the name of our nation. So as individuals, what are we (we refers to those who are impacted by these bans)?
Are we heading adolescence?
Are we rash bunch of brats who are to be disciplined?
Are we incapable of making decisions?
Do we have to project a regressive face of development to the world today?
Do we really in need of writing a oligarchy for generations to come?
Are we a nation where people need to be fed on the right idea of entertainment, food, religion and music?
Do we have hold years old values paramount and fail to walk with the times?
Do we really have to be controlled for the choices we make as individuals?
THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THE QUESTION LISTED ABOVE IS A BIG LOUD SHOUT OF A 'Damn NO'.
My nation Bharat (India) is becoming all about Bans, Boycott, Bigotry. We do not need this? We are able enough to make the right choices as individuals. And we are liberated enough to make the wrong choices. Do not make decisions for me. My soul suffocates and curse you.
Ban mongers - If you do not like it, choose to avoid it. Please do not make decisions for me. I do not need your wisdom!
Author's Note: Impose a blanket Ban on Injustice, Hypocrisy, Corrupt, Bigots, Small Thinkers, Shallow Minds, Sexists, Rapists, Crime, Violence...
Ban the wrong. Ban it today - you need not ban anything else! I detest those mindless bans that take away my freedom of making choices, my freedom of deriving solace or getting a high to bring out my creativity.
P.S. Bans, Boycotts and Bharat (India) on B - April 2, 2015. My second post for the A to Z April Challenge.
6. Amendments to Section 66 A of the Information Technology Act was aimed at banning my liberty to speak my mind online. Thankfully the Supreme Court of India rendered it unconstitutional. And I am relieved as my Facebook updates will not invite an arrest order from the authorities on grounds of offensive, while I attempt to show my dissent.
7. Creators of All India Bakchod Roost were forced to take down the video from Youtube as it breached Indian values. Outcry over creative cinematic ventures like Haider, PK are not alien to Indians. And even the infamous movie 50 Shades of Grey made to banned items in India.
As I write this post, I am enraged. I have a question for those who support these bans and promote boycotts in the name of our nation. So as individuals, what are we (we refers to those who are impacted by these bans)? Are we heading adolescence?
Are we rash bunch of brats who are to be disciplined?
Are we incapable of making decisions?
Do we have to project a regressive face of development to the world today?
Do we really in need of writing a oligarchy for generations to come?
Are we a nation where people need to be fed on the right idea of entertainment, food, religion and music?
Do we have hold years old values paramount and fail to walk with the times?
Do we really have to be controlled for the choices we make as individuals?
THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THE QUESTION LISTED ABOVE IS A BIG LOUD SHOUT OF A 'Damn NO'.
My nation Bharat (India) is becoming all about Bans, Boycott, Bigotry. We do not need this? We are able enough to make the right choices as individuals. And we are liberated enough to make the wrong choices. Do not make decisions for me. My soul suffocates and curse you.
Ban mongers - If you do not like it, choose to avoid it. Please do not make decisions for me. I do not need your wisdom!
Ban the wrong. Ban it today - you need not ban anything else! I detest those mindless bans that take away my freedom of making choices, my freedom of deriving solace or getting a high to bring out my creativity.
P.S. Bans, Boycotts and Bharat (India) on B - April 2, 2015. My second post for the A to Z April Challenge.
You have put into strong words the very anger that rages within every Sane Indian's heart. Just today morning I read about some stupid MP making some atrociously racist remarks on Rajiv Gandhi's marriage. Why not ban such specimen for a change?
ReplyDeleteExactly. Such statements are encouraged by haters... It seems that suddenly love, acceptance, tolerance has gone amiss. While people (influential) detested making offensive statements (targeting race, religion, case) on moral grounds, it appears reverse now.
DeleteI drop my head in shame when I hear such statements.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
This got me thinking. Nice to read such informative posts. Although I do not know which side to take, your point of view I feel is right. We cannot generalise what is right and wrong. But as for movies, it is a mass media and I think it is okay to impose bans as it would influence a mass audience. Most of the times, what ;media projects is absorbed and people tend to behave that way. However, I appreciate your thought process. Great going.
ReplyDeleteDo drop into www.malavikka.blogspot.com
Malavikka - First of all many thanks for visiting each of my post and making time to comment. It means a lot to me :)
DeleteAs a person I take time in forming an opinion about anything, I would suggest you the same. Take your time and go with conviction when it comes to taking sides. And it is okay to be neutral about certain issues and okay to change your stance :).
Censor board has been responsibly taking up the task of managing movies for so many years but lately it has got into mindless banning now a days due to it's chief holding RSS ideologies and existing government's interference. It must remain autonomous. Government must govern not feed us what is right or wrong. And Haider and PK boycott drive was driven through hinduttva agenda.
Wow, there is a lot of passion here! I had no idea there was so much banning going on in India. Do you think there's a difference between government sponsored banning and individuals choosing to boycott something?
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading more. Stopping by from Pam's Unconventional Alliance, best of luck in the challenge!
Thanks Annalee for stopping by and for a motivating comment.
DeleteI strongly feel for freedom of speech and have a high regard for Indian constitution. Hope bans do not sustain for long :)
Technically yes Ban and Boycott emerge from different motivations but lately all boycotts have been politically motivated, and are not motivated through people's movements.
What a powerful post! Thank-you so much for sharing it, as I sometimes get to caught up in the world out my backdoor and fail to see that their are injustices of the same ilk everywhere. We must stand together to fight them!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog, I hope you can catch up on your reading: http://smhasty.blogspot.com/2015/04/b-books.html
Thank you for stopping by Stephanie.
DeleteI believe that it is important for every individual to know their rights and force the government to not take us for a ride. And the best thing is that people do stand together :)