Search the Internet          Tips

'Political parties cannot
start defining nationalism'

Archana Masih in New York

"I like her short hair. It looks good on her," one lady in the audience said as she looked at Shabana Azmi. "Why don't they charge five bucks more and give us some samosas? I'm hungry," complained her companion.

In an auditorium dominated by women, friends caught up with such everyday issues - like discussing yoga and its cleansing experience - before the actress-activist took to the dais.

Tuesday night, Shabana Azmi was the guest at the Asia Society in New York, an institution dedicated to fostering public understanding of Asia in the United States. The second to feature in a series on Asian women leaders, she spoke about Coexistence and Conflict: Hindu Muslim Relations in India.

The auditorium was full up, and Azmi had just the right opening line. A couplet that her father, the great Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi had written 50 years ago. Pyar ka jashan naye tarah se manana hoga/Gam kis dil mein nahin/Gam ko mitana hoga (You need to celebrate love differently/Who does not know pain in his heart?/This pain has to be erased)

"We seem to be in our darkest hour and [this couplet] is very relevant today - to resolve differences where we do not have to resort to violence."

Pointing out to an emerging trend in India, she said an effort was being made to confine individuality to the narrow confines of religion. In a country where Hindus and Muslims had lived together for thousands of years, and where a Kashmiri Hindu had more in common with a Kashmiri Muslim than with a Hindu from Tamil Nadu - India's composite culture was its greatest strength. This culture must be stopped from disappearing.

She stressed that communalism was not about religion, but about political ideology. Where politicians were using history and the grievances of the past for political purposes in present times.

"The fight is between the liberal and extremist voice. Not between Hindus and Muslims," said Azmi. While she exhorted the educated opinion to speak out, she added that because liberal Muslims did not come to the rescue of the community, their space was taken up by religious heads like the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, head of India's largest mosque in Delhi.

Azmi drew examples from her family - her late father who passed away in May and her mother, actress Shaukat Azmi. On the family's tradition of celebrating all Indian festivals, and how her parents chose India over Pakistan during Partition because they believed they had a stake in India's future.

"But in 1992, after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the word 'Muslim' was hurled at me. I was asked about my credentials. Who are they to question me?"

The actress paused to draw breath -- "I will not give up my space to them."

At this point the quiet auditorium resounded with applause. The only time they would interrupt her in the 45-minute lecture.

With references to the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 after Indira Gandhi's assassination, the 1992-93 riots after the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the Gujarat riots after the killing of 59 Hindu pilgrims on February 27, Azmi said the worse aspect of communal riots in India was that the guilty went scot-free.

Taking a leaf out of India's past, she said at some stage for preserving their vote bank, politicians had criticized Hindu fundamentalism but failed to do the same when it came to Muslim fundamentalism. "This is wrong. Fundamentalism of all hues should be criticized."

"Political parties cannot start defining nationalism. The Shiv Sena cannot say this book should be banned and this movie shouldn't be screened," said Azmi citing her own case.

In 1998, the Shiv Sena called for a ban on the screening of Deepa Mehta's film Fire. The film explored a lesbian relationship between two Hindu women, played by Azmi and Nandita Das.

Using her experiences, she told her audience that she remained an eternal optimist. That in spite of the insidious campaign for hatred that was carrying on, India was not falling apart. The situation wasn't as grim. But what the country urgently needed was a sustained effort to battle sectarian forces.

"India is a tolerant country. We need our space back."

In the impressive auditorium where she was introduced by Vishakha Desai, senior vice-president of the Asia Society, as a remarkable and amazing lady for her commitment to acting and social activism - Azmi was a relaxed and charming guest.

The audience, most of whom were Americans of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin, flocked to her after the event. Eager students invited her to their campus and asked her for information about prospective resource groups they could join.

"I want to return to my country because that is my home," said a Pakistani girl holding Azmi's hand, "but I don't want to return to a country that is run by mullahs." A Kashmiri school teacher from New York wanted to know why Mehbooba Mufti was not made chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, instead of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

By then Azmi spotted filmmaker Mira Nair. The two women hugged each other as guests reached into their bags for cameras.

As the evening drew to an end, the actress had stolen the show - yet again. It is unlikely anyone can deprive Shabana Azmi of her space.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report