On the International Day of Non-Violence, I want to raise the issue that is affecting us in current day India. I have been asked to remain silent, which is why I must raise this: Someone inbox-ed me on how tolerant they are to the likes of Arundhati Roy and Teesta Setalvad as they are still alive. He added their messages to them are proving enough as they are apologizing often. He said, আমাদের ধমক অন্য রকম. একটা বার্তা. তাতেই হিমস্রোত বইয়ে দেব In English, Our threat is of a different kind. Its a message. That will be enough to send shivers down their spines. And then to me দিনকাল ভাল নয় বুইলে কিনা . বেশি ট্যাঁ ফোঁ না করাই ভাল. আমি আসান ভাষায় বললাম. কি দরকার মোদীর বিরুদ্ধে বলে. দিব্যি তো আছ For non-Bengali speakers, I was told, The days are not so good anymore. Do not speak much. You are fine so far. Arent you? Why then speak against Modi and change that? Whatever happened to my achchhe din! And this exactly is my problem with the Modi brand of politics. It is politics of fear. The coercion to keep your mouth shut if you want to be safe. The online and offline threats. This is why it is not simply about another party coming to power. It is about democracy, about sane voices, about dissent versus active coercion, physical/verbal abuse and threats. I hope this changes. This environment of fear and coercion changes. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 07:19:01 +0000
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