Another day, another religion and another ban. Stories about bans story seem to be cliche in recent times, especially the bans called for by religious groups. Where is anyone’s sense of creative expression, sense of humour, common sense?
The stories of authors voices being suppressed has become commonplace and it is simply infuriating to see alternative voices being muzzled simply because they offend. Well, religious people offend me with their superstition, pseudo-science and sycophancy but can I dare call for a ban on religions itself? I probably can, but I fear for my life.
We need to allow dissenting voices to be heard. Without dissent there is no democracy. Without Ambedkar’s and Periyar’s dissenting views on the caste system, we would still be living as savages. Without thinkers like Voltaire and Thomas Paine, there would not have been notions of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and fundamental rights. Without the anti-apartheid and civil rights movements, racism would have been accepted as a norm.
These are only some examples of how dissent played a vital role to challenge status quo and improve society. It is also pertinent to remember, all the examples cited above were in their time opposed by religious voices too. The conservative religious groups could not bear to see their hold on society challenged and fought the revolutionaries tooth and nail. Fortunately, sanity prevailed. Now even the conservatives consider society before those movements barbaric.
It is time to take a stand against forces who try to quell dissent. Whether political or religious. It is time to challenge the status quo placed on society by people who live generations in the past. It is time we restore democracy in our country.
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Summons to writer Joe D’ Cruz – The Hindu
After writer Perumal Murugan, it is now the turn of Tamil writer Joe D’ Cruz to face the wrath of his community for writing a work of fiction about them. Sahitya Akademi award-winning novel Korkaireleased in 2009 has landed Mr. D’Cruz in legal trouble. On a complaint alleging that the novel had portrayed fishermen, Christianity, priests and nuns in bad light, the Judicial Magistrate-II of Thoothukudi has issued a summons directing him to appear before the court on June 12.
“He has written as if promiscuity is prevalent among fisherwomen. His portrayal of Catholic priests and nuns has offended the faith. It caused me and others who have read the novel pain and anguish,” said V. Alangara Bharathavar, general secretary of the Meenavar Viduthalai Iyakkam in Thoothukudi. Denying the allegations, Mr. D’Cruz told The Hindu that the complainant, instead of seeing the book published in 2009 as a work of creative literature, had culled out a few paragraphs and sentences from the novel to create an impression that it was against fishermen.
He had allegedly portrayed fishermen, Christianity, priests and nuns in bad light in his novel Korkai
Signs of the Times 