ure
s
ed nd
nde and wards.
he BJP be ll a storm seen. But asic contheir acts he atmose country side. status as
as ding ore outine
neutrality e present ing to the ine declaoliticians. refore, of ts as the ll not do. y for the
LIVE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015
MIDWEST / EASTCOAST
FIRST MIDWEST EDITION | EAST COAST EDITION | Volume 6 • Issue No.331 OCTOBER 23, 2015 | THE COMMUNITY x
1
A
.COM
‘WRITERS AS REFUSENIKS
www.hiindiaLive.com india feature
How a village Mumb dance
— BJP’S BLIND SPOT
The fact that none of the writers has a pronounced Leftist or Nehruvian (or Writers as refuseniks pro-Congress) background is a disadvantage for the saffron brotherhood — BJP’s blind spot
MUMBAI: Some 35 yea sleepy, little village of Kha kms from Khopoli on the ol Pune national highway, w cally come alive at dusk, like. The narrow streets jammed with fancy cars a bikes honking for space. from Mumbai, Pune, Nashi Goa came there to spe happy hours at its famed d
‘Intolerance ‘Intolerance rising i How a sleepy little x village launched Mumbai’s famous dance bars
The fact that none of the writers has a pronounced Leftist or Nehruvian (or pro-Congress) background is a disadvantage for the saffron brotherhood
india news
AMULYA GANGULI, NEW DELHI
A
fter being flummoxed for a few days by the decision of several Sahitya Akademi award winners to return their medals, the Bharatiya Janata Party has finally been able to gather its wits together to respond. If it was initially taken aback, the reason was not only the unusual nature of the protest, which is vastly different from the political brouhaha which it usually faces, but also because the party has never had much to do with culture since its defining characteristic is Hindu nationalism with its religious and xenophobic components. As a result, the BJP didn’t seem to know how to counter this curious form of protest, which has an element of Gandhian renunciation about it. Some of the bewilderment of the saffronites could be seen in the union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma’s strange advice to writers to stop writing. “We will then see”, he had said while calling for a look at their background. It is perhaps this intention of checking the suspected motivations which made a couple of police investigators visit Ganesh Devy, a Vadodara-based writer who had returned his award, to ask whether his action was intended to spread “disaffection” — shades of the “midnight knock” of totalitarian countries. The BJP’s mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has further muddied the waters by describing the refuseniks as “self-proclaimed contractors of intellect”, a phrase whose meaning is not immediately clear. Normally, the saffron camp tends to describe any dissenter as either “anti-Hindu”, as it labelled the protesting film institute students, or as left-liberals. This time, it wasn’t
rising in India’ “ At one stroke, an estimated 1.2 MUMBAI: Some 35 years ago, a sleepy, little village of Khalapur, five million dancers in the 2,800 legal, kms from Khopoli on the old Mumbai- and as many unauthorized dance Pune national highway, would magi- bars, mainly in Mumbai, Thane, Navi cally come alive at dusk, Cinderella- Mumbai, Raigad, Pune and the state like. The narrow streets would be highways, besides a few hundred jammed with fancy cars and motor- thousand of supporting staff were bikes honking for space. Revellers thrown onto the streets. IANS, At itsDELHI height, some of the topfrom Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and evenNEW Goa came there to spend some notch dancers prospered, and some happy hours at its famed dance bars. like the enchanting Tarannum, were
(Clockwise from top left) Ashok Vajpeyi, Ganesh Devy, Shashi Deshpande and Nayantara Sahgal are among the writers who have returned their awards.
until Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is more savvy and erudite than most others in his side, described the dissenters as “Nehruvian” and “Leftists” that these favorite pejoratives of the saffronities were used. However, the fact that almost none of the writers has a pronounced Leftist or Nehruvian —
facturers. How long will the BJP be able to pretend that it is all a storm in a tea cup remains to be seen. But the seriousness of the basic contention of the writers that their acts of rejection are related to the atmosphere of intolerance in the country cannot be easily brushed aside. What is more, their status as
The first such dance bar, c the best and the biggest was ‘Baywatch’ — pop before the American tele-s same name in the 1990s. Strategically situated jus Mumbai-Pune highway, an even the Mumbai-Pune Ex which came up nearly two later, vehicles taking a byp mofussil darkness of Khala barely noticed or missed. The dancers, girls/wom between 15-35, were tran from pre-determined loca Mumbai, Thane and other airconditioned deluxe bus Khalapur by dusk; when a started. Unique to the maximum never slept, scores of youn women gyrated to deafenin wood numbers, with colorf hazy air-conditioned atmos reeking of cigarette smoke perfumes and food. The patrons were mostl wealthy businessmen, tour domestic and international enjoyed an “interactive” se the dancers by showering money or ‘garlands’ of curr notes of various denomina occasionally going upto Rs notes for special dancers. Then on Independence 2005, the Maharashtra gov struck like lightning bannin forcing the colorful dance b become silent and barren.
Writers say they are returning the state awards as attacks a thoughts and differing voices are being silenced for the first
How a sleepy little village launched Mumbai’s rotesting againstbars the recent famous dance
P
Their status as thinkers as well as avowed neutrality make their reading of the present state of affairs more damaging to the government than the routine declamations of opposition politicians”
which means pro-Congress — background is a disadvantage for the saffron brotherhood. Jaitley has tried to bypass this difficulty by describing the revolt as a “manufactured paper rebellion”. The meaning of this clumsy phrase is however as unclear as the comment of the RSS about the “contractors of intellect” unless the finance minister distinguishes a “paper rebellion” from a street protest. He is also silent about the manu-
thinkers as well as avowed neutrality make their reading of the present state of affairs more damaging to the government than the routine declamations of opposition politicians. The customary ploy, therefore, of dismissing the complaints as the ranting of opportunists will not do. An additional difficulty for the saffron camp is that there are no writers or academics of an equal stature in its ranks to counter the accusers.
attacks by “fringe elements” on the society, a group of ST writers from different parts of the country here on Tuesday said the Indian society has been “poisoned with intolerance”. Addressing a “Protest meet” at the Press Club of India here, writers like Manglesh Dabral, who returned his Sahitya village, Akademi Award last week, At Khalapur some 500700 ‘outside girls’ wereHindi seen coming daily for the evening. Although veteran writer Vishwanath Sudheendra Kulkarni and J&K legislator Engineer Rashid (right). the obvious prosperity totaxthe locals, raided by the income department The firstbusiness such dancebrought bar, and considered Tripathi, writer and editor Om from predominantly farming community up thousands of rupees as thesome best and the the biggest attraction, loosening Writers say they returning the state awards as attacks being made on Thanvi expressed the country onare Prime Minister concern over state awards was are being done currentraised objections, saying was against tax.business Often the top-end dancers was ‘Baywatch’ — popular long the local traditions andintolerance” in their deluxe chaufbefore the American tele-serial byculture. the arrived at workin beliefs and thoughts and differing voicesNarendra are being silenced the first time were being made on “Modi’s for Hindustan”, not “increasing the socily as attacks feured vehicles, private armed secusame name in the 1990s. Mahatma Gandhi’s India. beliefs and thoughts and any differety. Pointing to the attacks by some rity and even a secretary to collect Strategically situated just off the the raining notes showered Mumbai-Pune highway, and later Hindutva groups on currency writers and ing belief was being silenced for the Sheikh Abdul Rashid, better on them by delirious patron-fans. even the Mumbai-Pune Expressway first time. thinkers Kalburgi, Triknown Tune as UPEngineer Rashid, has been However, for a majority of the rest, which came up nearly twolike decadesM.M. their plight was similar to what was later, vehicles taking a bypass in the In view of an ink attack on Engi- attacked twice this month after he pathi said: “To kill a person for his shown in Chandni Bar, the 2001 mofussil darkness of Khalapur were neer Rashid, calibri an Independent legisla- hosted a beef party in Srinagar — views and beliefsnational is very dangerous award-winning movie with barely noticed or missed. LICENSED INSURED BONDED-FREE ESTIMATE ON NEW INSTALLATION must present this coupon. the central theme of dance bars. The dancers, girls/women aged and Kashmir, secu- •Notfirst sign in a secular society. This is neat not tor from Jammu by BJPofferslegislators in the J&K valid with any other • RESIDENTIAL--COMMERICAL, After making a somewhatSERVICE-REPAIR-INSTALLATION, between 15-35, were transported Expired: 11-15-2015 AIR DUCT & DRYER VENT CLEANING FREE ESTIMATES bundle forAkademi the evening — around a rity measures around the venue were assembly who beat him up and then just a fight ofin Sahitya winfrom pre-determined locations Mumbai, Thane and other places in few thousand rupees — most tightened up. Rashid, on his part, by Hindu activists in Delhi who ners, but of all writers.” dancers returned home by the same Jitu : 224-425-6330 (Des Plaines, IL) airconditioned deluxe buses to Contact busesreturning before sunrise theof next day. Khalapur byThe dusk; when all the fun said blames the growing intolerance in smeared ink on his face. writers the Email: saihvac82@gmail.com / Visit us: www.saihvac.com E
R
Y OR
U
T A FE
started. Unique to the maximum city which never slept, scores of young girls or women gyrated to deafening Bollywood numbers, with colorful lights, a hazy air-conditioned atmosphere reeking of cigarette smoke, liquor, perfumes and food. The patrons were mostly youth or wealthy businessmen, tourists, both domestic and international, who enjoyed an “interactive” session with the dancers by showering them with money or ‘garlands’ of currency notes of various denominations, occasionally going upto Rs 1000 notes for special dancers. Then on Independence Day in 2005, the Maharashtra government
Some, of course, had their own side businesses going, departing independently, courtesy regular cabbies approved by the hoteliers. At Khalapur village, some 500700 ‘outside girls’ were seen coming daily for the evening. Although the business brought obvious prosperity to the locals, some from the predominantly farming community raised objections, saying the business was against local traditions and culture. There were also charges of prostitution thrown at dance bars. Eventually, such objections found echo among politicians. The government ordered that the bars be shut down. The once enticing village, luring patrons from the highway with its
Become a dental assistant in just 3 months! NEWS DIGEST Call for FREE consultation@ 630-766-1881 Nestle may resume www.dupagedentalcareers.com IANS, CHANDIGARH Maggi production 405 E. Irving Park Rd, Wood Dale, IL 60191
No
HYD witho articu says, his p “T keep and d Majlis chief Th it was party espo lims secti party have Thes stop Th on th
Foreign hand in Punjab
T
he Punjab Police said it has arrested two brothers for alleged involvement in the desecration of the Guru Granth
WE WILL PREPARE YOU BEYOND THE BASIC SKILLS MAKING YOU CANDIDATE OF CHOICE