Offending Communal Sentiments- G.G.S, What Were You Thinking?
“Ek aur dhakka do
Babri Masjith thod do”
Guru Gobind Singh College for Commerce’s street play started with this very intriguing chant. No, it did not deal with communal unrest that had followed the Babri Masjith controversy or religious fundamentalism. It wasn’t a play aimed at promoting communal harmony. This play talks about how in India, Hindus (yes, all Hindus, not just fundamentalists) take advantage of their majority status to suppress people of all other religions and get their own way. They have smoothly and thoughtlessly clubbed all Hindus together and aired views that are held by perhaps Hindu fundamentalists and mirrored by fundamentalists of other religions. They have taken advantage of the tolerant attitude that most people following the Hindu faith have and of their Right to Freedom of Expression.
Some scenes were deeply problematic. A court verdict scene is shown in which two thirds of the land goes to “Hindus”, thus ignoring a very fundamental fact- there is no uniform body of Hindus! Land went to two different groups (Hindus and the Nirmohi Akhara) who cannot be labeled as Hindus conspiring together for control over Ram Janma Bhumi. G.G.S.C.C never specified which fundamentalist groups were responsible for the unrests, thus making the play deeply offensive to the audience.
Another scene challenged the secular nature of our country. In this scene 3 actors, representing the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs run in a race in which the System (or perhaps other Hindus) hold the minorities back with sticks. I think most of the audience was Hindu and the question I found myself asking was, how many of us have hindered the progress of the minorities? Don’t we come under this broad yet unimaginable category as well?
Street plays are for entertainment and for spreading awareness. They must be thought provoking, not mob provoking. G.G.S.C.C has won competitions but in the process, it misused the public forum and has been insensitive to the feelings of those Hindus who, like their Muslim and Sikh brothers have upheld the values of secularity and harmony. It is hoped that next time, they would come up with a theme more enlightening and a play that doesn’t end up as an eyesore.
