Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Are you thinking what I am thinking ?

Picture this …

There is a report in the media. Recently a book had offensive pictures of an idol and it hurt religious sensibilities of believers of a particular faith. People complained, media got upset at this insulting of faith. Our secular government and police swung into action, within 24 hours the police got the arrest warrant. The state public prosecutor thundered that he will not let this crime go unpunished. “Freedom of expression doesn’t mean right to insult someone’s faith” intellectuals thundered. I saw that caption and had a faint hope that finally the government has come to senses…..

Are U thinking what I am thinking?

Sorry, to disappoint you. It was not the government going after MF Hussain for painting Goddess Saraswati without clothes or Sita’s defamatory portrayal that got the government up on its feet and itching for action. Wait your turn folks… The urgent issue was to do with a picture under the “Idol” category in primary text books for St. John’s school which depicted Jesus with a cigarette and beer bottle. So if you are waiting for MF Hussain’s prosecution, please wait some more the government has pleaded in the supreme court for his release from the warrants already issued and appealed for pardon !!!

If would be a shame, if some were to imagine this as a tit for tat episode and pleaded for pardon for the publisher of the offensive textbook in this case. Similarly pleading for tolerance with taslima nasreen for her offensive statements in her works. I have read excerpts from the book, if you are a follower of islam you have genuine reasons to be upset.

The issue is folks in politics and government unwilling or unable to comprehend what is secularism ? It is not favoring one religion over the other or discriminating against one for their beliefs. It is to treat believers of all faiths equally guaranteeing equal opportunity and not equal outcome. Because, outcome is dependent on the individual's drive and commitment.

Freedom of expression doesn’t mean the right to insult other’s faith and beliefs. Yes, it applies equally to all faiths and religions.

Remember, your freedom ends when somebody else’s begins….

3 comments:

  1. I am finding it hard to understand why that caricature got into the textbooks in the first place. Why wasn’t it proofed before it got there? Obviously there was a lapse in proofing before it was released.

    In the “defaming other religions” issue, your blog item places the case between government Vs MF Hussain and who do you prosecute for causing an insult on the principles of secularism.

    I think that since MF Hussain is a single person, an insulated entity not involved in governing a state or country, whatever he says/does is condemnable but not punishable. However, since the information in text a book is the property of NCERT (or whatever government body it is), it is only right, that in order to protect the preamble of our constitution, they withdraw that caricature from the textbook.

    Sorry, I have to disagree with you on this.

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  2. 1. According to law, what MF hussain did is just as punishable as what Taslima Nasreen did or the publisher did in this case. The GOI is culpable in selectively enforcing this as well as taking prejudicial stances. Ask for forgiveness for MF Hussain, expel Taslima and prosecute the Hindu publisher.

    2. Right to freedom of expression is not to be used to hurt or obstruct someone else's right to practice their religion. That is the basis of judgement delivered by Justice Kapoor in Delhi HC.

    I am not getting what you are trying to say in light of the above...

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    Cheers, Sridhar

    ReplyDelete