#dnaEdit: Let’s have a discussion

Disturbing incidents of intolerance and bigotry have recently racked Tamil Nadu. The latest episode took place last Thursday when four unidentified men, hurled two country-made bombs at the office of Puthiya Thalaimurai, a Tamil TV channel, in Chennai. The attack came on the heels of Hindu Munnani activists earlier assaulting the channel’s cameraman and protesting the telecast of a debate on ‘mangalsutra’.

Puthiya Thalaimurai had planned a discussion on the contemporary relevance of the ‘thali’ or the ‘mangalsutra’ as more and more married women are choosing not to wear what is considered an auspicious marriage thread. A promo of the discussion had women questioning the validity of ‘mangalsutra’, especially in cases where they have been abandoned or abused by their husbands. 

Angered by the debate, some Hindu groups began to target the channel which received over three thousand threatening calls. The BJP’s national secretary H Raja, too, questioned whether the channel would agree to hold similar discussions around the relevance of the purdah for Muslim women or the cross for Christian nuns. Faced with threats and violence, the channel was forced to keep the discussion on hold.

Recall in this context the two other cases of bigotry and intolerance that recently jolted the same state. Two months ago, Perumal Murugan whose novel Madhorubhagan was under attack, announced his own “death” as an author. Hounded by Hindu and caste outfits, Murugan decided to withdraw his books and renounce writing altogether. Even before the controversy fully died out, yet another Tamil writer,  Puliyur Murugesan, ran into serious trouble over his book of short stories. One of the short stories based on the condition of transgenders seemed to have riled the Kongu Vellalar community whose members not only demanded a ban on the book, but also physically assaulted its author.

This is not the first time that the Hindu Munnani, a group formed ostensibly to lobby for the rights of Hindus, has threatened people. In November 2007, the group demanded a public apology from the Tamil actress Kushboo for sitting cross-legged with slippers in front of Hindu goddesses. In 2008, the group threatened to block Kamal Hassan’s film Dasavatharam on the ground that the film hurt Hindu sentiments. 

It would, however, be useful to locate the latest incident of attack within a broader national framework. Intolerance is not a matter of concern for Tamil Nadu alone. Bigots are running amok across the country. The principle of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution and law is being subverted, in letter and spirit, and at will. This culture of impunity is further fortified by the complicity of the political classes. A dangerous situation is fast emerging where the lunatic fringe is moving into mainstream space and bullying people to submit to their fiat. 

Our governments at the Centre and in states as well as political parties need to seriously introspect whether they are interested in ensuring the rule of law. So far what has been evident is their reluctance to rein in the ‘lunatic fringe’ if only for making cynical electoral gains. But the alarm bells are ringing louder every day. 

India could well pat itself on the back for its optimistic growth projections and economic reforms. But the true measure of a civilised nation is tested by its spirit of democratic and multi-cultural tolerance. Given the prevailing intemperate cultural and social climate, India would appear to fail that critical test.