By Ram Puniyani,
The Milli Gazette
Published Online: Apr 11, 2011
Print Issue: 1-15 April 2011
Film: Saffron War by Rajiv Yadav, Shahanawaz Alam and Lakshman Prashad, Duration: 61 Minutes, Contribution: Rs 95 (postage extra). Available from: 632/13, Shankarpuri, Kamta, Post: Chinhat, Lucknow, UP–Tel: 09415254919, 09452800752 www.mediachargesheet.com)
With the rise of the Hindutva movement during the last three
decades, there has also been an attempt to understand this phenomenon
through analytical essays, articles and films. These films have also
served the purpose of spreading the awareness about the rising threat of
communal politics, and dangers to national integration due to the
rising communal tide in the society. The Mumbai violence, Gujarat
genocide, and Kandhmal killings amongst others has been the object of
serious study and analysis amongst activists and scholars. Saffron War: a war against nation
is the latest in a series of the significant works, which have come out
lately. This film is a unique combination of analysis of Hindutva
ideology, its cooption of Dalits in to communal politics and the
gradual manipulation of the low caste movements and turning them away
from their struggle for social justice to mobilization as foot soldiers
of Hindutva where they are made to believe that the real
problems of society are not due to the caste structure but the
“external” one coming form Muslim and other minorities.
This film is made in the backdrop of Gorakhpur, where Yogi Adiyanath, a
BJP MP, has been spreading his tentacles in a very aggressive way. The
film’s major contribution is to show as to how Gorakhnath Math has
gradually been shifted away from its struggle against caste oppression,
how its focus on inter-community amity has been shifted away to hatred
for the minorities. The film, through different interviews and visuals,
shows us the spread of venom against minorities. The language used by
the Yogi and his followers comes under the category of ‘Hate Speech’,
which is going on in the open fashion. All the prejudices and biases
against minorities, Muslims in particular, are being openly asserted in
the public meetings where Muslims are not only presented in extremely
negative light but also violence is openly propagated and promoted. The
imaginary fear of minorities is projected and all the propagation of
violence is done in the name of ‘defense of Hindu religion’. The degree
of aggression in the language is shocking to say the least. In many a
meeting when these hateful speeches are being made, even the Police is
seen standing as passive listeners, unmindful of the fact that such hate
speech should invite strong legal action.
The major mobilization for this campaign is done in the name of Yogi
Adityanath and the majority of people who are mobilized and co-opted are
Dalits and OBCs. They begin with Savarkar’s definition ofHindutva and the Hindu Rashtra
is made the base of ‘hate other’ propaganda. This goes on to say that
Muslims have to be relegated to second class citizenship in order to
stop their alleged ‘appeasement’. They cite the example of Pakistan to
spread this hate. Yogi’s propaganda further adds that Muslims’ voting
rights have to be taken away. Gorakhpur and surrounding areas must be
one of the few places where Savarkar is quoted so blatantly in the
anti-minority tirade. The emphasis on converting UP into Gujarat
through Poorvanchal comes up regularly. On the lines of Bajrang Dal,
there is formation of Arya Veer Sena and Hindu Yuva Vahini giving the
training to youths in the use of arms, with Har Har Mahadev as their war
cry.
The film brings out clearly as to how the earlier Bharat Milap
procession in this area symbolized Hindu-Muslim brotherhood, but now it
has been converted into an occasion where anti-Muslim sentiments are
invoked. This has seriously intimidated the minorities in the area. The
role of these forces in the Mau riots of 2005 is well brought out in
this film.
While the film does well to focus on the core points of Savarkar
ideology and cooption and Sanskrtisation of Dalits, there is a need to
link up this with the overall Hindutva politics of the country.
The link between Savarkar and RSS ideology also should have been
highlighted. The strong point of the film is to show the political
dynamics of the conversion of a low caste, syncretic space into one
dominated by Braminical ideology and Hindutva politics. The film does show, in a forthright manner, the way in which Hindutva
politics builds up. The history of Gorakhnath Math comes out very well
along with the fact the communalization process has converted this
syncretic space into exclusive Hindutva territory. It is
Gorakhnath Math where earlier Muslims used to throng in large numbers
and were welcome there. The scenario is dismal, there is need to develop
political, ideological and cultural campaigns against this politics of
hate to bring back the issues of caste and gender into the mainstream of
social movements. The need to work for national integration needs to be
highlighted in more ways than one.
While the film is a comprehensive study of communalism in Poorvanchal,
Gorakhpur in particular, it should have connected a bit more with the
national phenomenon of Hindutva. The film does need some technical improvisation and better photography.
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