An increasing number of artists, writers, filmmakers, and now scientists are on an award-returning spree. Some are calling it #AwardWapsi, inspired by the Hindutva brigade’s ‘Ghar Wapsi’ or re-conversion initiative.
The dissenters’ complaints range over a lot of issues, from the FTII logjam, to the ‘lack’ of personal freedom, author MM Kalburgi’s killing, the Dadri killing, and the ‘rise of intolerance’ in the country.
The government has been unwilling to concede any space to dissenters, and has maintained that it is a ‘manufactured revolt’. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley conveyed the government’s view to the media, about two weeks ago, and then again, today, in a kind of a re-affirmation.
Abstract much?
One wonders if the confrontational stance will help at all in eliminating the surround-sound over ‘growing intolerance’. Now, the problem with a vague phrase like ‘growing intolerance’ is that there is no parameter to gauge it. Rabble-rousers, and communal sections of people have always existed, and perhaps only feel a little emboldened with a BJP government at the Centre. However, it does not implicitly mean that the central government is behind all that is wrong. Law and order situations need to be dealt with the firm hand of the law. States look after their own law and order.
What numbers say
The only thing that can dispel the cloud of ‘rising intolerance’ is data. This is a stand-off from which the government should not shy away. But, it should tackle rising fears with numbers, drawn from the National Crime Records Bureau’s records. Data from the Home Ministry shows that there has been no significant rise in communal incidents since the election of the Narendra Modi government. In terms of data, there is no clinching proof to conclude that the government has fanned fears or sat on pressing issues. One wonders what stops the government from using it to prove a point.
A blanket denial of fears, whether real or imagined, makes the government look autocratic. It makes it look like it is only bothered about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) core constituencies.
This is the exact perception that the government needs to fight. The surround sound needs to be drowned out, for it may be more imagined than real.