Attacks on performing art

A certain quarter made its opposition to theatre staged at the Shilpakala Academy known by first forcing the scheduled performance of a drama and then attacking the protest rally held on Friday. Whether their objection is to the performance of that certain play or dramas in general is yet to be clear. But to go by the statements made at the rally by theatre performers and organisers, it becomes clear that it is a motivated and organised attack against the performance art.

Nityapuran is the play that drew the wrath of the quarter involved in forcing the cancellation of its scheduled stage performance. Did the oppositionists know about the content of the drama? Is it objectionable and if so on what ground? One common complaint against dramas, movies and literary works is that the contents hurt the religious sentiment of people---majority or minority. Here no such allegation was made. Even if a section of people finds any such creative art objectionable, they have no right to act as social police and force postponement or cancellation of its on-stage performance.

Ideally, any such intimidation is unacceptable. There are proper authorities who alone can take any decision to impose a ban on performance in extreme cases where there is the possibility of inciting social turmoil and violence. People finding performing arts and literary works repugnant to their sense and sensibilities lodge complaints to the authorities concerned relating their grievances. Creative art is not everyone's cup of tea. There are examples galore of the oppressive rulers coming heavily upon such works because the message might incite social rebellion. In most cases such works of art have ultimately survived to become eternal treasures of the mankind whereas the tyrants have ended up into the dustbin of history.

Following the fall of Hasina's regime, the spree of attacks on sculptures, some treasure troves of national history was passed by some as something of a pent-up emotional release ---the type that happens on the spur of the moment. But does it have a logical explanation for the defacement and dislodging of busts of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and Rabindranath? The vandals may denigrate Shilpacharya but the world knows his value. Recently one of his masterpieces was sold at $381,000---a record for a Bangladeshi painter at a Sotheby's auction in New York.  The two world famous painter and poet have no connection to politics except the humanitarian and elevating spirit they promoted through their art and writings. In their own way they too conveyed the message that makes attentive minds better human beings.

Music, dance, drama, painting and sculpture still remain anathema to the hardliners among the majority community. They have unleashed their wrath on such cultural heritage whenever they got the opportunity. On January 12, 2016, followers of such a radical religious-cum-political party set the Sur Samrat Alauddin Khan Sangeetangan, the music academy named after the legendary musician of classical genre established in 1956 and the adjacent museum housed in his residence were set on fire. Musical instruments used by the maestro, a Bharat Ratna recipient, and memorabilia were burnt to ashes.

Who these elements are now carrying attacks on theatre and its performers? The country has not banned performance arts; rather those are patronised at the state level. If such performances are considered irreligious by certain groups, the problem is with them. They cannot change the law of the land and push for it against the majority of its population. Now, the interim government has no reason to soft-pedal on this issue nor should the coordinators of students maintain silence on it. Allowing the aggressive elements any undue space will only encourage them to push for their secret agenda further and further.

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