By Shafeeq Hudawi, TwoCircles.net
Kozhikode: Just a few days of the brutal incident, in which veteran Kannada writer M M Kalburgi was shot dead by over his remarks against idol worship, another incident has been reported from Kerala. In yet another incident of intolerance by the Sangh Parivar towards freedom of expression, a prominent writer in the state has stopped his daily column on Ramayana for being a Muslim. Noted literary critic Dr. M M Basheer was compelled to stop his column named Ramayanam Jeevithasaramritham, literaly means Essence of Ramayana, which was carried in leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi.
Even after repeated attempts TwoCircles.net failed to get the writer on phone. Sources close to the writer said the move followed an array of threats over telephone and abuses from activists, belonging to Sangh Parivar. Sources confirmed that he was not available on phone after the incident was brought to the lime light.
Basheer, the former Professor of Malayalam Department, University of Calicut, was assigned to write six columns for the newspaper during Ramayana month. But the writer had to abstain from writing after he completed five parts following the threats, mainly by Hanuman Sena activists. Sources added that the writer got several calls abusing his identity of being a Muslim and asked him to stop the writing the column about the Hindu script.
Basheer’s first column, titled ‘Sri Rama’s Anger’, appeared on August 3. Four days later, after the fifth column was published, Basheer stopped the series.
“To the few who showed patience, I explained that the previous year I had written on Adhyatma Ramayana (the popular foundational text of Malayalam by Thunchathu Ezhuthachhan) and I spoke about Rama the God… But few among the callers knew the difference between the two texts and very few cared. Most callers kept insisting that I tried to attribute human qualities to Rama because I was a Muslim,” Basheer told Indian Express, in its detailed report, carried on Friday.
The five Ramayana pieces he wrote for Mathrubhumi this year looked at Valmiki’s critique of Rama’s call to Sita to undertake the “agnipariksha”. The articles were more about the brilliance of Valmiki, the poet, and the insights he offers while writing about the human condition.
Sources with Mathrubhumi daily confirmed the newspaper got several calls in derogatory language and posters were stuck on the premises of the office of the daily in Kozhikode threatening the daily authorities.
One of the noted critic in Malayalam- 77 years old Basheer is the familiar face in the debates and public programmes across the state. He was not part of any organisation belonging to the Muslim community.
However, the report, carried by Indian Express, says that he stopped the column after he received continuous threat calls from the unnamed persons. “I stopped writing because I am unable to withstand this level of a criticism. None is willing to hear my version or explanation regarding the column,” Basheer said.
However, the writers under the aegis of various organisations are all set to launch various programmes to vent their dissent over the increasing intolerance by the people influenced by the Hindutva ideology.