From being censored to self-censoring
text_fields
The Malayalam film ‘El 2 Empuraan’ has been marked as much for its content as the responses it has generated. While the content exposes the flaws of the ruling class, the experience it carries has been to affirm that content. The film, which was cleared by the Censor Board, contained scenes depicting the reality of the Gujarat riots, which angered the sangh parivar quarters. That triggered massive protests and threats. The makers have now reportedly decided to make 'voluntary modifications' to the film on its third day of release, after it opened to record audiences. The Censor Board is expected to meet once again to approve the changes, which will see 17 cuts made to the film. The name of the main villain, Baba Bajrangi, will be removed. Scenes related to the Gujarat genocide will also be scissored out. Scenes that involve the assault on a pregnant woman, the killing of a village queen who gave shelter to Muslims, and scenes that start insult of caste will be cut. Some dialogues will be muted. In short, the parts that bother many racists will be removed from the film. The film has the effect of exposing the distortion of justice that the offence is not what you do, but what you say about that.
It is in a country where hatred and violence are being institutionalised that the revelations which expose them are met with direct and indirect sanctions. Comedian Kunal Kamra has been the subject of a flood of cases for staging a show that exposed the politics of defectons. The mob went on a rampage without any intervention from the law enforcers in the hall where the program was shown. The problem for the communally biased is not that the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister committed a breach of trust through defections, but that it was exposed through art. The Prime Minister, who used to say before the media that ‘criticism is the soul of democracy’, has never been seen doing anything to back up those words with action. The Supreme Court had to point out in the Kunal Kamra case that freedom of expression is crucial. Social media platform 'X' has approached the Delhi High Court, against the government's policy of censoring its content.
'X' is challenging the government's directive to join the 'Sahayog' portal, which is designed to remove without delay or hindrance posts that the government deems objectionable. The Sahayog portal is one that, in violation of the provisions of the existing IT Act, gives government departments, ministries, and the police unconditional authority to remove content. The goal is indirect censorship plain and simple. The recent responses given by ‘Groke’, the artificial intelligence chatbot of ‘X', to a few questions have caused concern among government and sangh parivar camp, needs to be highlighted in this context. The reason is that ‘Groke’ has conducted a fact-finding investigation and refuted their false propaganda and claims. Vikatan, the Tamil magazine was blocked in the name of a cartoon. The Supreme Court yesterday quashed a case filed by Gujarat Police over a 46-second video clip shared on social media by Rajya Sabha member Imran Pratapgarhi. The police alleged that the poem, which reads, "Listen, bloodthirsty people, if a fight for truth is just, we will fight it with love," will incite religious hatred.
While cartoons, comedy shows, poetry, and documentaries are subject to censorship, 'Empuran' is being subjected to unofficial censorship. Self-censorship is more dangerous than direct and indirect censorship because as producers prepare to change content in response to pressure from groups and vested interests, even the injustice of censorship becomes invisible. At the same time, anti-national and anti-social revelations are being propagated in collaboration with these same forces. ‘Kashmir Files’, ‘Kerala Story’ and ‘Chhava’ were widely screened with open encouragement by the government. It is not many days since 'Chhava’ itself has given rise to riots.. When history is being distorted and propagated in a way that is harmful to society for political gain, art forms that tell the truth deserve encouragement. That truth will liberate us is not an empty phrase. And ' satyameva jayate' (Truth alone will triumph) is not a mere motto. At a time when lies rule the roost, it takes courage to speak the truth. In an India where those who spread falsehoods find support, those who speak up truth like 'Empuraan' are the brave ones. It is sad if they too become cowards.
