Reader's Page

Dear Editor,

I am amazed, sorry, perplexed at the way Parvez Kabir has described what can at best be described as a stand-off between a section of students of FFA (fighting for a genuine cause, now mired in political overtones, backed by whom, for what reasons, I guess known to all of us but the “naïve” and/or the infidel) and the University authorities (who are driven by whom, but “the naïve and the infidel”). Parvez’s description of this stand-off would have put to shame the historians (aha art historians too) who have described the great battles of past. Alas for they knew not the holy art of rhetoric as well, for there wasn’t an enlightened (sorry moderately enlightened) modern day Kabir amongst them.Yet one cannot dismiss the vital arguments that the learned columnist has raised (in his rather verbose and overtly passionate one sided version of the stand-off) but that it is a post modern battle, a guerilla warfare, a fight on streets just goes on to show that the writer has for the first time participated in protest of any kind whatsoever and he hasn’t heard of emergency either. Let us objectively and dis-passionately look at what this whole Baroda fiasco is all about in the context of Parvez Kabir’s description of the issue.
I admire Parvez’s honesty in admitting that since he is a part of the protestors, he cannot present a balanced story. This to me would have been reason enough to let someone else who could have looked at this problem from a rational point of view, to present this story. Anyways it is the prerogative of the editor and so he has a right to do what he thinks is correct.

<People>
People
Aren’t we time and again enraged by the decisions taken by our politicians, I am sure Parvez too is, but how many times has he marched on the streets against a new unjust fringe benefit tax, killings of minorities (Hindus,Sikhs,even Shias) in Kashmir by Islamic fundamentalists, reservations in jobs and education, and many other issues which affect us directly or indirectly. What I am trying to say is that non appearance of people, or no signatures doesn’t mean that they are happy or they agree or don’t have hidden resentment with what is going around but not everyone gets ready media like my fortunate friends at FFA,Baroda. A typical case in point is Kashmiri Pandits(hounded by Islamic fundamentalists out of their homes, living as refugees, half a million of them for last 17 years with no media coverage at all).That there is not even one signature or a demonstration in Iran against the oppressive regime only shows that there isn’t even so much of freedom as to raise a voice, leave alone demonstrate but make no mistake about it the silence speaks in its own ways and sometimes manifests in very ugly ways like that of Niraj Jain.In ,”Reality Bites” a program by the supposed leftist leaning NDTV on the Baroda issue clearly showed which way the public opinion was yet none of the participants put up a signature campaign , or a march down the Raisina Hill.In a ToI poll asking readers to choose whether they support artists’ right to paint nude deities 87% had given a resounding no as their answer.

Mothers and others
I wonder if Parvez has heard of something called the feminine concept of divinity which is the cornerstone of the Hindu way of life and what distinguishes it from some Semitic religions who direct their women to be covered from head to toe (like black scary images emanating from Lal Mosque in Islamabad) and in some places they cant even go alone to even buy a piece of loaf.No matter how much we ridicule Niraj Jain but the fact remains that he is better than many of those maulvis who issued fatwas to Nilofar Bakhtair(the Pakistani minister) for hugging her instructor or the ones who issued fatwas to Shabana Azmi for kissing Nelson Mandela or for that matter how did he feel when Buddhas of Bamiyan were brought down by Islamic fundamentalists. Wonder if Parvez was enraged then and did he march, send flowers with get well soon messages to maulvis or write a column expressing his anger or resentment or was he a mute spectator like we are to the paintings of nude deities(whether men,women or eunuchs).Have these  students of the FFA marched against destruction of hundreds of ancient and historically important Hindu Shrines in Kashmir at the hands of Islamic zealots. I agree that for fundamentalists a women’s body is a symbol to preserve but before setting out to change the world, the learned scholar should light a candle to his own Maulvis and maybe even have the holy books re-written or at least have a provision for their amendments initiated for if one goes into details of what Koran and Hadiths have to say about women most would be enraged. Charity begins at home…as they say…

The fate of the (so called)Prophet
It is ironic that Parvez says many Muslims are aware of Muhammed’s pictures yet not all are eager to vandalize museums. Yet he confronts himself in the same paragraph saying “There were deep consequences, tensions in the city area which thankfully did not culminate in a riot” over the painting of Mohammed. True very true, not all want to vandalize and kill but most do. We have enough proofs of this from how most Muslims world over reacted to the Danish Cartoonist’s pictures of Mohammed. How innocent blood was shed and how missionary nurses were killed by Islamic zealots. Yet for some odd reason Parvez believes otherwise. It can be substantiated by the fact that most nations (except for Indonesia) with Muslim majorities have Shariah as law for all its citizens and non-muslims are second class citizens with no religious rights while Muslims in non-muslim majority nations have all the privileges and religious rights. That Parvez can breathe freedom and write whatever he pleases is because he lives in a nation where the Hindu majority embraces multiculturalism as one of its key values unlike Islamic nations where fatwa from some obscure Mullah is a way of life. What hypocrisy is it that if someone paints an image of Muhammmed (no matter how bad) and if Chandermohan (or anyone who is on the same side as Parvez),paints a nude deity(no matter how curvaceous)the one who paints Mohammed has an ulterior motive while what Parvez’s friends’ paint is divine and bereft of any mal-intention. May I ask who is to certify this even if what Parvez says may be correct?

<Administration>
Versions
Since I don’t know the Vice Chancellor I wouldn’t comment on his behavior. To me the VC seems the other end of the spectrum, much like his illustrious counterparts who work behind the scenes of the “student agitation”. As far the present dean of the FFA goes, he is widely seen as an accredited scholar and a respected teacher. Had he been there when the unfortunate incident happened it would never have gone so far. Being a sane person who doesn’t resort to rhetoric or politics of minortyism he would have handled it like any balanced educationist who has the best interests of the students at heart. Most of the scholars and ex-students who I have talked to believe that sacking of Pannikar was incorrect but it is equally true that he could not handle the situation and actually played it up for reasons best known to him. Pannikar is known to have played politics of minortyism while in the HOD’s chair. One look at the kind of seminars done under his tutelage would reveal more than it would hide. So we come back to silence…silence that’s like lava waiting to erupt in an ugly manner and erupt it did.Most of the times wherever lava formation takes place is not where it erupts. Niraj Jain can be the point of eruption but lava formation took place in FFA .Although Pannikar might be riding a great moral high today but as they say every saint has a past…

Admission
“If virtues like skill and compositional sense are necessary for an admission in an institution, why should not a terrific commitment and responsibility towards one’s workplace is viewed seriously as well?” writes Parvez
I wonder if FFA is some madrasa to which the students have to prove their allegiance to by protesting on the streets. That the learned man draws parallels between workplace and an alma matter in a way where he supposedly says that the ones who are not protesting don’t have good work ethics is clearly the most preposterous argument that I have ever heard.With such marginalized and fanatic mindset the difference between Niraj Jain and the protestors(supposed intellectuals)is getting hazy.
Article
Sure Pannikar has written many books, papers and is fairly renowned in art circles but let us admit that he could not handle it well, rather as some say he almost allowed the whole thing come to a stage where he could draw personal mileage for himself and forces beyond. Education brings in knowledge but not wisdom, my friend that’s what I as an outsider see is lacking….sanity has become a causality, that’s why Deepak Kannal resigned.

<Body>
Body
I am not sure if girls ever had to form a shield against the police force since not even one protestor has ever been canned so Parvez is back to exaggerating, really I pity what gimmicks our illustrious and supposed intellectuals have to fall back upon to earn sympathy or is it a part of the “campaign”.So the body stands where it was…it is one thing to look artistic quite the opposite to be one…
Fingers
I am sure Niraj Jain’s fingers look like “I will shut you down” but what about the author’s fingers that have typed out essentially flawed and factually incorrect arguments to support something which is profane and sacred and needed no argument. On the contrary resignation of Deepak Kannal, which speaks for itself as his conscience keeps him on high pedestal and surely clear of muck which has set into this whole episode.
Semen
Sure the VC’s description of the picture is incorrect because he says semen was flowing from Jesus’s penis. Parvez says it was pure water which was actually flowing from Jesus’s penis. If VC’s argument or description is incorrect tell me does a penis actually flow pure water unless I don’t know human body’s basic functions. To a normal mortal like me,penis either flows urine or semen unless Jesus’s penis had some special way of flowing water from heaven which he told Chandermohan alone, in his revelations and later Chandermohan revealed to Parvez. Paint what you like but at least be intelligent enough to support it with plausible arguments. This one was surely flimsy, think of a better one next time.
Mouth and Skin
It is time when both ends mark what their mouths say and put their brains to work. Mob hysteria and collective frenzy are often enemies of reason and rationale. The issue has already blown out of proportion and the only sufferers are the students themselves. While for most it is purely a game where students are mere pawns in the political one-upmanship between the extreme right and the fringe left, the pride of Vadodara(hope I am not branded extreme right by Parvez for using this word) is sinking.
One sure word of advice for Parvez, change within thyself what you want to change in others. Before wanting to change the lunatic right ensure that a woman’s testimony is equal to a man’s in Islamic laws. For those who don’t know, as per Holy Quran "Unto the male is the equivalent share of two females." 4:176 , A woman is worth one-half a man. 2:282 , Men are in charge of women, because Allah made men to be better than women. Refuse to have sex with women from whom you fear rebellion, and scourge them. 4:34 Wonder if the naïve and infidel Neeraj Jain is
studying smashing of idols and icons from the above mentioned book..

Rashneek Kher - New Delhi