Film sought to be banned is a call for peace, harmony: Gauns
BICHOLIM-BASED social activist Ramesh Gauns (51) is a popular figure among
campaigners in the state. "For the last 24 years we have been trying at all
levels to inculcate secular values , and this is our main agenda," says he.
So, Gauns was outraged when the BJP caretaker government threatened to slap
"communalism" charges against those exhibiting a video-film narrating the
reality behind the carnage in Gujarat. This came in the run-up to the May
30 elections in the state. In an interview with Frederick Noronha, the
Forum for Communal Harmony convenor explains what's at stake:
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FN: Bans (or threatened bans) of films or books could make it more popular,
would you agree?
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Certainly. People will be very much curious to know what exactly the film
contains...
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FN: Okay then, *what* does it contain?
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Actually there's nothing (objectionable) in the film. It's a cry for
justice, and an explanation of the injustice done (to the Gujarat carnage
victims) by well-organised mobs under the protection of state forces. This
is exposed outright by the common victims of what has been
called 'genocide'. It also shows burnt places -- houses, shops -- left
after the organised violence, and the actual conditions in the relief camps.
More importantly, it gives a message for peace. In the real sense, it is
only a call for peace and communal harmony.
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FN: What's your case? Is the action technically legal? Is it politically
biased?
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(Technically legal or otherwise) it is clearly politically biased. That
film was shown in T.B.Cunha Hall on May 16/17, where a sizeable crowd saw
it, after being made known to all, including the government agencies,
through the press. If the film contains any objectionable aspects, why
wasn't objection taken to at the T.B.Cunha Hall too? Objections should be
objective, not subjective.
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FN: Have you consulted a legal viewpoint on this?
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There is a green signal from (all lawyers we spoke to). There is nothing
objectionable. Secondly, these films ('Hey Ram' by Gopal Menon and 'Fear
Stalks The Land' by Gauhar Raza) are being show across the country by
campaigners for secularism.
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FN: One argument was that permission is needed to screen a video film.
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Permission for what? For a public screening with more than 40 people
gathering, technically yes. But what is the real objection to this film?
That no permission was taken? Or that the film puts out "objectionable
content"? This is nothing but harassment.
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FN: How do you see this action?
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Gopal Menon is a well-known activist on people's issues. Issues come up in
a very different (and convoluted) manner in Goa. The BJP caretaker
government doesn't want to get themselves exposed over their party's deeds
in Gujarat. That's why even the smallest attempt to express agony of the
people of Gujarat (is being blocked).
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FN: Has a ban actually been imposed?
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So far, nothing has been banned. We are anyway going on with the
screenings... in private groups. I would in fact like to suggest all people
concered about humanity and human rights to make it a point to at least
screen this film in their locality. This would expose the brutality of
supremacist thinking.
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FN: Your suggest that this issue goes beyond just minority concerns?
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Definitely. It's an issue for everyone. People from the majority community
have a concern for liberal thought. Had it not been the case, we would have
long since been a 'Hindu Rashtra'. The Sangh Parivar has tried this for 75
years. But then, why was the BJP then pushed to garnering just 21% of the
votes in Gujarat?
After September 11, terrorism and Islam have been well sought to be
connected by ideologues of a certain political tradition in places like the
US. Now, other political forces here are trying to cash-in on that here too.
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FN: There is a debate over whether Gujarat would have an impact on the Goa
polls....
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I don't think so, because the regional language papers which have maximum
readership, did not come out that impressively and effectively on this issue.
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FN: What's your long term vision of the chances for secularism to grow in Goa?
********************************************************
We're trying our level best to, at the very least, have a very good forum
of like-minded people to take up the challenge of communalism, which was in
fact started in Goa quite a long time back.
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