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The
Danish Cartoon Row
Opinions From India
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By Deepa Kandaswamy**
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Mar.
15, 2006
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An
activist from the National Conference shouts slogans during a
protest against the cartoons of Prophet Mohammad in Srinagar
(Reuters photo).
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Few
people in India knew about the cartoons published in Denmark in
September 2005 or about the subsequent apology of the editor. The
news about the publication of the anti-Prophet cartoons filtered
through only when the European media decided to reprint them under
the pretext of protecting the freedom of expression.
Indians
watched, along with the world, in puzzlement at what was taking
place. As the cartoons were not reprinted or shown in any of the
media outlets here, the majority of people did not know much about
them. However, this didn't stop people from protesting against the
publication of the cartoons. While many people in the West claimed
that the cartoonists and the editor were exercising their right to
freedom of expression, others argued that it was a deliberate
provocation. Nevertheless, for most Indians, it did not seem like an
either-or situation.
Freedom
of Expression
Several
European media organizations chose to republish the cartoons as an
expression of solidarity with the editor of Jyllands-Posten.
However, as media loves controversy, it seems that their main motive
was to increase their circulation.
Was
it really about an editor exercising his right to freedom of
expression? Most Indians, irrespective of their religion, do not
accept what happened under the name of freedom of expression. This
can be attributed to the fact that they have gone through similar
experiences when Hindu gods were used as logos on whiskey bottles
and when they were portrayed naked by some artists in the West.
Hindus found this to be highly demeaning, and it was all done in the
name of freedom of expression.
Indians
have gone through similar experiences when Hindu gods were
used as logos on whiskey bottles. |
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Ordinary
Indians, irrespective of their religion, find what happened to be
distasteful. Uma Kandaswamy, a homemaker and mother of two, said,
"I have not seen the cartoons. However, if the cartoons
depicted the Prophet offensively, I think the people who published
them were sadistic. Freedom of expression is not the freedom to
offend people. If they wanted to make cartoons, why didn't they poke
fun at the corrupt politicians?" Most Indians express similar
sentiments.
Younis
Basha, an engineering student, wondered, "The West always
claims that it is more civilized and cultured. Does their civilized
culture preach contempt for other religions?"
Manjusree
Sen, a writer and poet said, "The Danish editor is completely
ignorant of Islamic and Judaic culture. Jews and Muslims consider it
blasphemous to depict God or any of the prophets. The cartoons were
a blatant affront to the cultural values of two major religious
groups.
From
that cultural perspective, the Danish editor was foolish. If he
knew the sensitivity of the issue, one can assume that he deliberately
provoked Muslims worldwide. Cartoons have a right to exist in
and of themselves. But no one has the right to violate an entire
group's religious ethos via cartoons."
However,
some Indians disagree. Mukund Moorthy, who was in the Middle East
when the controversy broke out, asked, "Would the powerful
countries in the Muslim world, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and
Emirates, have reacted the same way if it was an American
publication? Because it was a Danish newspaper, the Danish products
were banned and the Danish embassies were burned. Why didn't the
world act when the Taliban brought down the Buddhist statues in
Bamiyan [Afghanistan]? Is it because the Buddhists are peace-loving
people who don't resort to violence to voice their protest?"
He
further added, "During an interview with the editor of the
Danish newspaper, he stated that the creative thought behind the
cartoons was that a group of radicals used the Prophet as a puppet
to flare up violence. Therefore, the editor's intention was
different from what the world understood. The Danish newspaper
didn't expect such a reaction. If they knew what would happen, they
wouldn't have published the cartoons.”
"Would
the powerful countries in the Muslim world have reacted the same
way if it was an American publication?" |
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There
are also groups of people in India who believe that freedom of
expression should be protected under any circumstances. Though a
minority, these people include Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis,
and atheists; they have made statements such as, "Where is
tolerance and sense of humor? Violent protests are just a form of
censorship exercised by mobs.
We
saw the Hindu fundamentalists protest when Hindu gods and goddesses
were portrayed in cartoons. Christians got angry at Jesus Christ
Super Star. Some even protested against Dan Brown's book, The
Da Vinci Code. Let us not forget the ban and the fatwa issued
against Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses. Now it is the
Prophet cartoons. Where does one draw the line between freedom of
expression and provocation? In all instances, these are attempts to
silence voices that think differently."
In
their letter to the Indian national daily The Hindu published
on February 10, 2006, two Danes, Torben Munkholm and Anders Johansen
wrote, "As two Danish citizens presently traveling in India and
enjoying the friendliness of its people — Muslims and non-Muslims
alike — we deeply deplore the offence caused by a newspaper of our
country. … It was, as The Hindu’s editorial put it, a
nasty and needless provocation. We should like all Indians to know
that the newspaper in question represents the more reactionary and
narrow-minded elements of our society. Please, believe us, there is
another Denmark that advocates understanding instead of conflict,
respect, and dialogue instead of prejudice and arrogance. We are
confident that eventually that Denmark will prove the
strongest."
The
letter makes a good point about ordinary people in contrast to the
Danish media. However, the zeal to republish the cartoons shown by
European and American media should not
be forgotten. In their clamor to support the Danish editor and prove
how "free" they were, journalists seem to have forgotten
that most of them were embedded journalists in Iraq and that none of
them stood by CNN reporter Kevin Sikes when his blog was pulled off
because it carried pictures of dead Iraqis. Nor did the journalists
show their support of freedom of expression by presenting a balanced
coverage of the Iraqi conflict. So their claims that they published
the cartoons in the name of the "freedom of expression"
seem hollow.
The
Riots
However,
no Indian expected that the angry backlash against the anti-Prophet
cartoons published by European media would be felt in India. The
February attacks on trains and the riots in the southern Indian
state of Karnataka by angry people protesting the cartoons shocked
many.
Ketan
Dand, a resident of Mumbai, said, "The riots were as bad an
incident as the cartoons themselves. They make no sense. Some people
are putting religion before [their] country by acting against the
country's interest."
Khalim
Sahib, a 75-year-old man and resident of Bangalore who was on the
train that was attacked, said, "I was scared when it happened
and didn't understand. As an Indian Muslim, I'm angry too at the
Danish newspaper cartoons but why are they attacking trains here?
People of all religions travel on these trains. What have these
cartoons to do with India? It is not as if it is an Indian paper
published this."
In
their clamor to support the Danish editor and prove how
"free" they were, journalists seem to have forgotten
that most of them were embedded journalists in Iraq. |
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Sahib's
statement echoes the sentiments of many in India who could not
accept the riots in Hubli or the attacks on trains in Karnataka.
Vijay
Sarda is also a resident of Bangalore, but he feels the motivation
behind the riots was political. He said, "I feel it's
absolutely unwanted and foolish. It's just a political gamble to
exploit the situation and flare up communal friction for political
reasons."
Karnataka's
capital city, Bangalore, is known worldwide as the "Silicon
valley of India." It offers health tourism, which attracts
people from all over the region, especially from Pakistan. This made
the riots even more strange.
The
Reaction
When
Danish embassies in Europe and elsewhere were attacked and some
burned down, most Indians became wary, but some became more
outspoken. However, no one condoned the violence unleashed by some
groups. However, they had different ideas as to how the violence
came about.
Writer
and poet Manjusree Sen said, "Violence should never be an
option. Unfortunately, violence is often incited by provocation. …
Knowing how desperately Iraqis want the US occupiers out of Iraq,
what motivated this Danish editor to add fuel to that conflagration?
This is not free speech. It is an attempt to subtly subvert any
steps towards peace in the Middle East."
However,
she added, "Condemning the cartoons without condemning the
violence is hypocritical."
Abdul
Hakim, an executive, said, "Islam is reportedly the
fastest-growing religion in Europe, and this might be the reason
behind Islamophobia. We should deal with such situations with
patience and tact."
George
Verghese, a computer professional, said, "I haven't seen the
cartoons, but all newspaper articles should be taken at face value.
It is foolish to assume that there are ulterior motives behind them.
The burning of embassies is a misuse of the freedom to
protest."
Jaffer,
an owner of a travel agency, agrees, "By burning embassies,
some Muslims prove to the West that they are just as Bush describes
them, violent and intolerant."
Cho
Ramaswamy, a lawyer and editor of the Tamil weekly, Thuqlaq,
said, "It is agreed upon globally that no one has the right to
hurt the religious sentiments of any group. Therefore, according to
the laws of many countries, the incitement of hatred is a crime. The
lampooning of the Prophet has understandably hurt Muslims. However,
the anger has turned into violence, which cannot be condoned. Both
sides have crossed the limit."
On
March 7, 2006, a rally was held in Chennai, the capital city of the
southernmost state of Tamilnadu. Addresses were given by several
leading members of the press and the Indian Muslim community. In his
address to the rally, Narasimhan Ram, the editor in chief of the
English-language daily, The Hindu, said, "The cartoons
are a sacrilege under the name of freedom of expression." Nawab
Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prince of Arcot (in Chennai), appealed to
Muslims, both Shiites and Sunnis alike, to protest peacefully. He
also asked them to boycott the products of the countries where the
cartoons were published.
Hopefully,
Nawab's appeal will be heard and Muslims everywhere will protest
peacefully, showing the West that they cannot be dragged into
violence despite the despicable acts committed against them. If they
continue to protest violently, the West will find a justification
for their actions. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Others can't
take away your self-respect unless you give it to them."
**Deepa
Kandaswamy is an engineer, writer, political analyst based in
India. Her articles have been based in five continents and some of
her writing credits include ABC News, Christian Science Monitor, PC
World, Data Quest and Middle East Policy.
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