A man more annoyed than me

The following are the points I considered worth taking down during an amusing lecture delivered by Dalit activist Kancha Ilaiah at the Asian College of Journalism on the 12th day of August, 2011.

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Film censorship

1. Why curtain a film that hasn't been screened? (Aarakshan)


2. Freedom of expression, right to that freedom


3. M. F. Hussain - afforded dissimilar treatment in response to similar issues


4. Freedom of expression of small social groups vs. freedom to exist of the majority


5. Where do we draw the line?

Art of neutrality

1. Any Dalits in the censor board?


2. Do men and women have adequate representation on the board?


3. Do SC/STs and OBCs have adequate representation on the board?


4. No objectivity anywhere


5. Subjectivity pervades


6. Objectivity intervenes in certain stages


7. The drive to achieve is the drive of objectivity

The caste question

1. Is reservation required in the censor board?


2. 75% of the Indian population is non-FC


3. Why then does representation in the censor board so incongruent?


4. Conscious avoidance?


5. Accidental absence?


6. No censor board has ever contained an SC/ST or an OBC


7. Inter-caste marriage as a filmographic theme since inception of Indian cinema


8. Misrepresentation of reality by films


9. The duty of films toward a society wherein caste is important?


10. Global viewership share of Muslims is 30%


11. The film industry has more often than not misrepresented Indian society

"A film on reservation cannot quell public unrest on the issue when it does not possess adequate representation in situ in India."

"Khans exist as Khans because of bin Laden - just as Jews exist as Jews because of Hitler."

Subjectivity and objectivity

1. The perspective toward films and of films is wholly of subjective origins


2. However, there is an historical background that is wholly objective


3. Idol-worship


4. Can Dalits take a position on anything and be considered as perpetrators of non-caste agitations?

"The penetration of caste deep into society and politics has resulted in the infiltration of its influence into the sphere of arts, style, public image, etc."

Hermeneutics

1. Interpretation of texts keeping in mind one's social background


2. Hindu mythology does not "account" for the rise of Dalits


3. "Cows as religious symbols because its historical significance deigns it so - why not worship buffaloes when they are significant as the largest producers of milk today?"

"Gods have shaven faces while the 'Untouchables' were barbers."

Caste, politics & caste politics

1. Globalization of cultural systems as a consequence of "democratic evangelism"


2. Religion plays a major role in a capitalist society, and more the religious penetration, more the infiltration of those factors that influenced our perceptions of religion

"Washermen who discovered soap in ancient India were not credited with the discovery as such, either nationally or globally. That suppression - a consequence of the suppression of the Dalits?"