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| Quote By Edmund Burke and Image by eak_kkk |
There is a hot debate going on, nowadays, in social media and elsewhere that to be or not to be with Pakistani artistes. The debate began when Raj Thackrey led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) playing nationalist card on Uri Attacks issued an open letter/warning to Pakistani artistes working in film and television industry to leave India within 48 hours and asked their Indian patrons to not patronage the artistes.
On one side, we have a section, which support the MNS’ stand and want Pakistani artistes to leave the country. According to them, we have enough talent and we should promote them, instead of allowing Pakistani artistes infiltration. On other side, we have another section, which do not support such stand, and bails the artistes as the soft target.
However, before defining my stand, I want to clear a few things, and first why I began with Edmund Burke quote.
If you read Burke again, you will understand what I am trying to say. According to Burke, evil triumphs not when you lack sources to fight; evil triumphs when there are not enough men or rather say good men to stand up against it. The quote can be interpreted, A society/nation not fails when corruption, communalism, and terrorism is widespread. A society/nation fails when good people fails to take action to curb down the menace.
So such people, whether they are artistes or other elites, who do not take any action to curb down the evil should be made to face the heat. That’s it.
Now when they say artistes are soft targets and that is why people target them. Artistes also fear for their and their loved one lives, the only reason, they do not raise voice against violence. It is valid but a lame excuse.
I mean when they say artistes are representatives of the society. They touch very lives of common people. Their say is important because it is a say of a culture, society or nation. So why they are not using that say (power) to bring change, and peace between two nations.
When people say Indian artistes are well respected and loved in Pakistan, they love our cinema, art and music. So why can’t we. I am not saying that we don’t love our Pakistani artistes. Of course, we love them. But we are not mum over any heinous act that happened in Pakistan or any other part of the world. Remember 16 December Peshawar School Massacre. We stood along with our neighbors.
There is another problem with second section who do not support MNS’ stand that they are cosmopolitans. People who do not believe in borders. People who do not believe in any culture divide. People who think world as one. People who are disappointed when something bad happen in some part of the world. People who enjoy and cherish achievements of other nation, thinking as of their own, as of whole human race. It is all good. However, the problem starts when this section clashes with other section of the society who believes in pure nationalism.
Now if you consider yourself a cosmopolitan citizen, you also have few responsibilities, that you need to work toward a united world, bring peace and change. And when people who believes in nationalism finds you are taking different stance on different things. They will come after you.
I am not here with first section who supports MNS’ stand and want Pakistani artistes to leave only because they are Pakistani but I am not with second section either who supports them and their silence over such heinous act. I am from a minor section of society, which condemns such heinous acts and people who do not raise voice against such act.