Our patriotism for a song

[Guest guest]

Title: Our patriotism for a song

>Author: Abhijeet Bhattacharya

>Publication: Hindustan Times

>March 16, 2003

>

>For the past several days I have been in the spotlight for protesting

>against Pakistani artistes performing in India. Instead of supporting a

>patriot and a nationalist, a section of the media has accused me of being

>jealous of the success of my Pakistani rivals.

>

>It pains me to see a large section of influential people genuflecting

>before Pakistan, a country that considers India an enemy state. A few

>years ago when Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the rage in

>India, he accused an Indian composer of lifting his tune for the hit song

>Tu cheez badi hai mast mast. The media gave wide coverage to his comments.

>But when renowned Indian composer Khayyam protested, saying it was an old

>folk tune and did not belong to Khan, the same media did not find it worth

>reporting. Indians made Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan famous but he in turn only

>abused our music industry.

>

>I have nothing personal against Pakistani artistes and hold most of them

>in great respect I have even touched Ghulam Alis feet. What I am trying

>to say is that when Pakistan has banned our artistes from performing in

>their country, why should we Indians give their artistes a red carpet

>welcome? Both countries do not play cricket matches against one other on

>their soils. Our television channels and films are banned in Pakistan. And

>every time one country sends back the others envoy, there is retaliation

>from the other side. Then why dont we retaliate when Pakistan insults our

>performers and asks them to leave their country?

>

>There have been innumerable instances of Pakistan humiliating our esteemed

>artistes. Jagjit Singh was asked to stop his ghazal recital mid-way and

>composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal, who had visited Pakistan to attend a

>marriage, were asked to return from the immigration itself. Even qawwali

>singer Akhtar Azad who had been invited by Pakistan to take part in a

>mushaira was later not allowed to perform because he was Indian. These are

>just a few cases that I am aware of. And what do we do in return? Welcome

>their artistes with open arms! Mehdi Hasan, Abida Parveen, Reshma, Adnan

>Sami, actresses Zeba Bakhtiyar, Somy Ali, Salma Agha The list goes on. The

>achievements of our stars have never been highlighted on Pakistani

>television whereas our channels are busy promoting their talent.

>

>In the US, Pakistanis taunt us saying the Indian music industry would have

>been bankrupt by now had it not been for Pakistani artistes. They keep on

>accusing us of lifting their tunes and never fail to rub in that their

>stars have kept our industry alive. On the other hand we in India love to

>insult our own stars. Look at what we did to Salman Khan. People die in

>accidents everyday he did not deliberately murder anyone but the media

>did not spare any effort to humiliate him. But when it comes to artistes

>from an enemy state, we fall over each other to please them.

>

>Its true that the citizens of Pakistan love our films and our artistes. I

>would love to perform for them provided its a public show and not

>something done in hiding.

>

>Here I would like to say that I am not challenging Pakistans policy

>vis--vis India. They are doing just the right thing. For Pakistan, India

>is an enemy state and they treat us the way enemies should be treated. It

>is the Indian Governments policy that I am questioning. When Lata

>Mangeshkar has never been granted a visa to perform in Pakistan, why is

>the government considering granting citizenship to Pakistanis? Huge sums

>of money are paid to these artistes. It is alleged that the payments are

>made through hawala. Do the citizens of this country not have have the

>right to know the mode of payment? Especially since the government has

>come down with a heavy hand on Indian film producers with alleged mafia

>links. Are we not funding Pakistan? And how does it matter when a

>Pakistani artiste denies his roots saying he has settled in the West.

>He/she is originally a Pakistani and that is what matters.

>

>When it comes to our artistes and channels, Pakistan calls them part of a

>cultural raid. But I would call what they are doing to our country a

>cultural rape. Its a conspiracy. In the guise of artistes, they are

>destroying our industry and promoting their own. And we Indians are just

>helping them succeed in their designs. Switch on any channel and you will

>find a Pakistani artiste there. They are there all over, in TV shows,

>commercials, mingling and dancing with our film stars. We are bending over

>backwards to help them destroy us.

>

>I want to create awareness among Indians, give them a wake-up call before

>it is too late. But if the citizens of this country do not support me, I

>will think that I wasted my time doing my bit for my country. The next

>time there our political leaders talk about desh-bhakti, I will take it

>with a pinch of salt.

>

>What I find most painful in this entire episode is the attitude of a

>section of the media and our music industry. I am doing whatever I think

>is right at the cost of my livelihood, as a duty towards my country. These

>same people will cross over to my side if I am proved right tomorrow. Only

>a handful of Indian artistes have stood by me because they understand the

>seriousness of the issue.

>

>India is increasingly facing Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. After the

>Kargil war, I had performed for a fund-raising event for the army mens

>widows. Our boys died out there fighting for Indias honour and

>sovereignty. Today we are honouring the same enemy. I cannot even explain

>how I feel. Do we not owe anything to our martyrs? My head hangs in shame

>at our attitude.

>(The writer is a well known playback singer.)

>

>

 

 

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