Complete destruction of ideals taking place in India: Mallika Sarabhai
'Hinduism is all about asking questions, as manifested in our scriptures. Unfortunately, it is Hinduism in the form of Hindutva that is quoted to us and shoved (down the throat of people),' eminent classical dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai has claimed.
FollowHindutva is being shoved down the throat of people in the name of Hinduism, eminent classical dancer and activist Mallika Sarabhai has claimed.
Voicing her disappointment over the complete destruction of ideals in the country, the 68-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee said during a session at the concluding day of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival: 'What I am witnessing around today completely decimates me. Never had I thought there would be complete destruction of our ideals in India and so many people blinded by the glory of advertisement and brand-building.'
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The comments came while Sarabhai was speaking at a session about her life, career and initiation into the world of dance.
Sarabhai further said that unlike Kolkata, where one could "actually see (people) of different religions living side by side", she could not say the same about Ahmedabad in Gujarat, where "ghettoisation seems to be so complete".
While claiming that many of her friends were in jail, facing trial for asking questions, Sarabhai said: 'Hinduism is all about asking questions, as manifested in our scriptures. Unfortunately, it is Hinduism in the form of Hindutva that is quoted to us and shoved (down the throat of people).'
The noted dancer, who essayed the role of Draupadi in Peter Brook's play 'The Mahabharata' in the 1980s, said Bengal is among the few states where pluralism still exists in society.
Responding to Sarabhai's comments, BJP leader Roopa Ganguly said Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life connected to nature.
'Hindutva is a Hindi word, and Hinduism is a globally-known English word. That is the only difference between the two expressions,' Ganguly, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said.
"Asked about the ghettoisation claim, shall I ask her (Sarabhai) to go through the population chart of Gujarat and (charts) of all parts of India? As she specifically mentioned Gujarat, I would ask her to check how many people engaged in diamond cutting live there. Many of them are from Domjur in West Bengal, and they are living peacefully in Surat. What she said is irrelevant," Ganguly, an acclaimed actor, asserted.
On Sarabhai's remark about many of her friends being in jail for asking questions, Ganguly claimed she has herself faced media trial for putting forth questions against the West Bengal government.
"Madam, please find out how many cases of molestation and atrocities on women are unregistered in Bengal before talking. This much I would expect from such a great personality," the BJP leader added.
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