The Writer Is Dead”

OPINION “The Writer is Dead” An unholy alliance of a dominant caste group and religious fundamentalists has killed a creative writer to gain political mileage BY DR.G.JOHN e Indians have the habit of boasting be banned and its author and publisherarrested. “India is a land of ahimsa and Mobs and thugs frequented Murugan’s house to Wnon-violence”! It is only for public intimidate him. On many occasions, mobs tried consumption. In reality, we are not what we to break into his house physically threatening preach. If there is any index to calculate the him. There were frequent bandhs and hartals in intolerance level of people of different countries, the town. Finally, on January 8 Perumal Murugan we would be among the toppers. At a time when had to flee from his native place, on the advice of the whole world is united to uphold freedom of police. expression and speech, we have demonstrated Subsequently, under the pressure from pro- that we are least bothered about it by silencing a Hindu caste outfits, the District administration Tamil writer, Perumal Murugan, for a ‘mistake’ called for a peace meeting chaired by the he committed in 2010 by writing a novel called Namakkal District Revenue Officer on January 12 Madhorubhagan. in which Perumal Murugan and thirty members The Assault from pro-Hindu outfits participated. He was alone The writer received numerous abusive and and coerced to sign a peace treaty which read: threatening phone calls. The two adjoining “The author has agreed: a) to issue unconditional towns, Namakkal and Tiruchengode, witnessed apology, b) to delete controversial portions in the provocative posters and violent views in book, c) to withdraw unsold copies from market, unauthorized public meetings. On December 26, and d) not to write on controversial subjects a group of people assembled and burnt copies of hurting sentiments of the people. Murugan’s novel; they demanded that the book Not being able to bear threat and mental INDIAN CURRENTS 26 January - 01 February 2015 13 OPINION Independence era on the occasion of annual car festival of Sri Arthanareeshwarar Temple in Tiruchengode town. Tiruchengode, the abode of Siva in the form of half-woman half-man, is the sacred temple to which childless couple flock to this day hoping to extend their lineage. ‘Mathorubhagan’ is the title of his novel and incidentally the name refers to Lord Shiva in Tamil. As per the ritual, in and around the Temple, childless women could go with any man on the night of the festival. “At the peak of the celebration, all rules were relaxed. The night bore witness to that. Any consenting man and woman could have sex. In the narrow lanes, on the field around the village, in the rest stops on the hill, Perumal Murugan’s book and on the open surfaces of the rocks, bodies lay casually intertwined. Darkness cast a mask on Madhorubhagan was first every face.” A child born out of such a relation published in 2010 and now it is was treated as a gift of God. This night is meant to end many couple’s into fourth edition. Protests seem suffering and humiliation. The yesteryear to have been trigge red only after temple car festival sanctioned consensual sex the English translation between any man and woman in an attempt to give couples a chance of having children. This ‘One Part Woman’ practice of consensual sex outside the marriage is was published by Penguin in 2014 not alien to Hindu culture, though it is no more practiced now. Classical Hindu tradition refers to this practice as niyoga or niyoga dharma which implies that it had religious sanction. “Niyoga is the relation indulged in by a childless widow with agony meted out by the Sangh Parivar, Perumal the brother or any near kinsman of her deceased Murugan declared that “the writer is dead. He husband to raise issue.” As we have become more is not a God to resurrect, nor does he believe in civilized, we have stopped this practice and it is rebirth. He will live on as an ordinary teacher”. frowned upon now; but not so, hundred years He further said, “Those who had bought Perumal ago. It enjoyed sanction of the society and religion. Murugan’s books can burn them if they wish. This is the bone of contention for the Hindutva He is withdrawing all his books and publishers and caste groups. need not sell them anymore. He will compensate The book Madhorubhagan was first published them.” in 2010 and now it is into fourth edition. Protests Perumal Murugan pleaded that he should be left seem to have been triggered only after the English alone. He also called upon organisers of literary translation ‘One Part Woman’ was published by festivals not to invite him to any events. “As I Penguin in 2014. ‘Why only now?’ is the question have decided to withdraw all books, I request hanging on everybody’s mind? It is said that caste outfits and religious organization to desist a fringe group functioning from New Delhi is from protests,” he said. He has refused to speak orchestrating the entire sequence of events. They to media and press. He is not willing to meet any have lab-tested and succeeded in many parts of body. His Facebook is frozen, Twitter account is northern India, including Gujarat, in jeopardizing closed and web page went blank, voluntarily. He communal harmony. Now the same brigade wants has resolutely decided not to write again. to experiment it in Tamil Nadu. The story – Madhorubhagan The unholy alliance ‘Madhorubhagan’ (One Half Woman) is Dharma has time dimension. Dharma is based on a ritual that was prevalent during pre- subjective as it depends on who is governing the 1414 INDIAN CURRENTS 26 January - 01 February 2015 OPINION state. Protest is manufactured, escape the wrath of the extremists. Kamal Hasan thought seriously not spontaneous to establish of quitting film industry and leave India when screening of his film dharma. You protest only when ‘Vishwaroopam’ was contested. Narendra Dabholkar was killed for it is conducive and you are speaking against superstition. confident of taking to streets that There are many instances like these where ‘freedom of expression nothing will happen to you. The and speech’ is challenged. The right to freedom of speech and ruling establishment, instead expression guaranteed in Article 19 (1) (a) is not absolute. It is subject of protecting the ‘freedom of to certain restrictions like preserving public order, decency and speech and expression’ of an morality. When it is violated, there is always legal remedy which is individual, has connived with inbuilt in the constitution. It is always up to the court to decide when caste outfits in intimidating an the Article 19 (1) (a) is misused. A small group of people purportedly author and intellectual who has assuming the role of guardianship of Hindu tradition and culture contributed enormously to the has no locus standi to represent the entire Hindu population. They are Tamil literature of the Kongu not the true representatives of Hindu majority. It is a case of minority region. ruling the majority. Perumal Murugan is not just a novelist. He is a professor of Tamil language and literature, and a strong advocate of social justice. He wrote against the unethical practice of producing ‘mark scoring machines’ in Kongu region. This region specializes in schools that produce state ranks and high scoring students. These schools are run on a business model that charge exorbitant fee which only the wealthy can afford. Murugan came down heavily on those whoare a dominant- business community here. It is this vested interest group that The argument put forth by these groups is that ‘it affects the has joined hands with Hindutva sentiments’ of the people. They invoke ‘religious sentiments’ as the elements, who want to have a reason to further their hidden agenda of converting India into a strong foothold in Tamilnadu. Hindu nation. They have started the political process of destroying There is an unholy alliance of pluralism and diversity and promoting homogeneity of one culture, caste group and religion which one language and one religion. In their scheme of things there is no is dangerous. space for minority to assert their identity and rights guaranteed by Freedom of Expression the constitution. For them, minority simply ‘do not exist’. They live in ‘Freedom of expression and fools’ paradise of treating India as their own country and it belongs to speech’ is not free from stress. them only. Not rational, not reasonable and not logical! Now and then it is put to test Creative artists like Perumal Murugan dive deep into the history and challenged. M.F Husain and bring to light certain practices that existed which otherwise was forced to leave India and would never come to light. It is always fascinating to see the cultural live in exile due to constant practices of bygone era dug out and put in proper perspective for threat posed by Hindutva public consumption and critical analysis. These creative models elements. Tasleema Nasreen is are the ones that appeal to the imagination of common folk and leading a life of secrecy as she sustain our interest in culture and history. Sadly, this has been faces ‘fatwas’ issued by Muslim picked up for political mileage crucifying the creative writer in fundamentalists. Salman Perumal Murugan. Rushdie went into hiding to (The writer is Associate Professor, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy) INDIAN CURRENTS 26 January - 01 February 2015 15.

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