Intolerance has always been something we see in large quantities in this country. However the mere mention of this word or that we might just be a tad bit intolerant is enough to bring even the Shiv Sena upon us.
Shiv Sena seems to be having the time of its life what with the ban on Pakistani actors and making current filmmakers and actors literally grovel and beg that they let their film realize in peace without making too much of a ruckus.
Now, this party seems to have found its newest victim to torment and that is the artist of this amazing mural of Hanuman that was created by artist Abhinav Kafare.
The mural shows Hanuman in an extremely different avatar with the two biggest differences that in the place of his loyal Gada, he has a pen and earphones on his head. The Hanuman in this mural is also wearing very new age clothing.
But the Shiv Sena seems to be having major problems with the depiction of Hanuman and have asked Mood Indigo, the cultural fest of IIT- Bombay to take down the art piece.
So Shive Sena Banned Something? Big Deal…
This is not the first time that Shiv Sena or perhaps I should say any such kind of party has tried to protect their culture against the bad influences of ‘western culture’ or feminism or a variety of new age things. Oh, and of course chowmein.
The reason for the removal of the mural was that Shiv Sainiks felt that the mural was depicting the great Hanuman wrongfully was even disrespectful. According to them, the way Hanuman was presented in the mural was an unfair mockery of our God.
Um… ok, sure.
See what I don’t understand here is what exactly was so offensive about the mural and how did it mock the god?
The artist did not show Hanuman in any compromising or indecent position, nor did he put them in any kind of nasty or mocking scenario where it was making fun of them or belittling them.
And Then We Get Angry Over Being Called Intolerant?!
This is just another addition in the long list actions which point towards our the-word-that-shan’t-be-said and how these things are so quick to anger and hurt our sentiments.
And the thing is it is not just in India that such things happen, even in the West, things that go against the Church or Christian faith are highly discouraged and they too have their own Shiv Senas who are on the lookout for all things that endanger their culture.
After all this, the reason for these actions is explained away that the parties are just trying to uphold and protect their culture.
Le sigh.
Image Credits: Google Images
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2016/04/bangladesh-testifies-to-the-rise-in-global-intolerance/
http://edtimes.in/2016/10/ratan-tata-and-amir-khan-both-called-india-intolerant-so-whats-the-difference/
http://edtimes.in/2016/08/brahmin-only-township-is-this-a-joke-or-do-we-actually-live-in-such-kind-of-world/
http://edtimes.in/2016/07/intolerant-indians-backlash-to-aamir-khans-dangal/
