I am trying hard to take my mind off of the current national debate on the “rising intolerance in India”, but in vain. I am deeply distressed by the returning of awards by eminent artists and writers in protest again the rising intolerance. In over 68 years of its independence India has not seen a farce bigger than this. Intellectual dishonesty of such mighty Himalayan proportions?
The debate on intolerance is showing the entire nation in a poor light. These people are in effect striking against the very motherland that nurtured their talents and clapped for them when they performed well and gave them a standing ovation when they received their awards. I thought that these people represented the intelligence and collective conscience of our nation. Now I know that this is a blatant lie. It turns out that they are the most intolerant lot. I now believe that our entire award system got corrupted behind the stages on which they were performing.
The entire drama around award wapsi is totally flawed. Why? Artists and writers of eminence do have political connections; they are not expected to be politically agnostic. Artists and writers can and do use their political connections to further their personal careers. Their eminence is propped up by their political connections and propped up eminence further cements the political connections. Quid pro quo is expected in politics but this award wapsi is unprecedented in the scale of the quid pro quo that is executed so shamelessly.
People put their priced trophies and awards on the walls of their magnificent halls and of course on their illustrious resumes. It is these awards that got them the name and fame and of course some plum posts. My kind request to all those who returned their awards to kindly try and return their name and fame too. If you are out of those plum posts I am sure you will have no regrets. But, if you are still in such a plum post please give that back too.
I would like to commemorate this most farcical event in the history of independent India with a series of jokes and cartoons. You will sample some of these on this page. If you have your own please share in the comments section below.
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brilliantly said !! perfect example.
A timely and apt piece. You’ve rightly called this awards-returning drama a big ‘farce.’ The intolerant protesters’ are actuated more by patent political considerations than by artistic/literary.