| INDIARIGHT.ORG |
Indiaright.org is owned, managed and edited by the Centre for National Renaissance (CNR). The CNR has been founded by the Naveen Hindustan Foundation. [ read ] |
| RIGHTWING IDEOLOGY |
The three strands of any Rightwing ideology in the West are: open society, free economy, and limited government. [ read ] |
 |
 |
 | Saffron art-iculation: Karnataka Minister incenses artists Our Correspondent The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems too eager to score self-goals. After allowing the thugs like Sriram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik to go berserk and alienating the young—at least those who live in cities—the party has decided to antagonize another section of the society: artists. At the inauguration of a branch of the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangalore, Karnataka Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda put his foot firmly in mouth by saying, "I welcome modern art, but modern art should not distort heritage. Only pseudo-intellectuals distort traditional art of India." One of the agonizing ironies of contemporary India is that the most uncultured people have become the champions of culture; another such irony is that the most strident philistines talk about art, culture and other finer aspects of human existence. Gowda's statement smacks of not just inveterate jingoism but also gross benightedness. How can art, modern or otherwise, "distort heritage"? If he was referring to MF Husain's paintings in which some Hindu goddesses were depicted in the nude, he failed to make any point, for Husain has just created a controversy by painting such portraits; he has not distorted, destroyed or vandalized any ancient paintings or sculptures. In fact, it is the ideological brethren of Gowda who indulge in vandalism. Unsurprisingly, the artist community was incensed by his statement. Bangalore artist MS Murthy asked him not to comment on modern art and artists as he was not an authority on art. Several artists at the function supported Murthy. A news report described the episode as a "debate between modernity and tradition." This is wrong, for first of all this was no debate: a debate is between cultured people. It was a clash between saffron pigheadedness and art, and both are mutually exclusive. Significantly, it was Culture and Tourism Minister Ambika Soni who talked sense. She said, "Art is left best to artists. Culture and civilization are produced by individuals who create it. No one, not even the government, should dictate value systems on anyone." It is interesting to note that in the backdrop of saffron Taliban indulging in disgraceful activities like battering young girls and intimidating artists it is the Congress leaders—and that too women leaders—who have garnered to the courage to oppose the moral policemen and moralizing politicians. Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury has even been booked by a Karnataka court for her comment that "Mangalore has been Talibanize" in the wake of the growing vigilante attacks in the region against women. It seems that BJP leaders have thrown their weight behind rabid elements in the Sangh Parivar. Posted on : 2/21/2009 Mail this article to your friend |