South Asia Citizens Web

The undersigned would like to lodge a strong protest against this attitude of narrow nationalism in India’s entertainment industry, and would like to request everyone to welcome and support international artistes, regardless of their nationality, as long as they follow the required Indian visa rules. We are definitely in favour of the artistes complying with Indian laws of immigration and work permit etc., but monitoring its compliance should be left to the Indian government authorities. How can a private entity such as CINTAA dictate terms to the artistes without taking into account the larger opinion of the Indian arts and entertainment industry, and of course, the audience?

They did not speak Kannada, the language of the state they live in. They, therefore, were “legitimate” targets of violence in a city that has benefitted the most from India’s shift from Nehruvian Socialism to free market economy.

The recent outpouring of support for the “development” agenda of the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, by several leaders of the Catholic and Protestant churches may possibly stave off the immediate attention of the dreaded Intelligence Bureau and the Ministry of Home affairs, but it is not likely to reduce the deep and seemingly abiding distrust the Indian political and social system has of what is popularly called the “Missionaries”. Nor will it mitigate the hate that is now erupting in India against religious minorities.

This is a scanned copy of a pamphlet from February 1969 by S.A Dange a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India on the communal violence in Bombay organised by Shiv Sena and the need to resist it.

‘Love jihad’ became a tool of open political mobilisation in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls in September. It reopened some old and fundamental questions about individual choice, community lines and the politics of identity and anxiety in a fast-changing, young country.