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The Rediff Special/Ashok Row Kavi

The Fire rages on

I did suspect this would happen. On December 14, the so-called Hindu right-wing BJP made an earth-shattering statement in full view of the people of India. Right there on television was a party MP from Delhi saying with a screech: "We don't mind if homosexuality was shown but did they have to name them Radha and Sita?"

So there you are! The focus of battle has shifted. They are now arguing within the Hindu paradigm, and that is exactly where gay activists like me wanted to get them. On December 12, the Shiv Sena did a highly effective Half Monty in front of the house of the great thespian, Dilip Kumar alias Yusuf Khan. The debate now has shifted from vulgarity to Hindu-Muslim interface. I was afraid that it would boil down to this. The bulldog has got his teeth into the secularist. And I'm enjoying every bit of it.

But can we salvage the situation? Let me draw your attention to one of the most touching and effective editorials written in recent times. It was by Bachi Karkaria in The Sunday Times on December 12. She pointed out that gay men and lesbians were everywhere. She protested the "celebrity" nature of the protests against Fire and brought the readers' notice to the kind of organisations that were allying with Deepa Mehta and Co.

I mean, what on earth was the editor of Communalism Combat (labelled Communalism Comeback at the Press Club) doing with Dilip Kumar, Mahesh Bhatt and Shabana Azmi? Why did these people communalise the issue when there was no need to do so? I had warned Mahesh Bhatt about it before he flew down to Delhi with the clowns. And they've botched up their cause by associating themselves with the Setalvad Secular Sorority.

What has happened is this: so persistent, presumptuous and pusillanimous have been the attacks by the secularists on anything Hindu or on Hindu society at large that they are not accepted as valid and legitimate critics anymore. Teesta Setalvad's comments after a much-vaunted visit to Kashmir were proof of that. When asked why she did not investigate into the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, her retort was: "That was not in my mandate." This, after crying copiously about the violations of human rights against Kashmiris by the Indian army.

Setalvad has now become the ugly face of secularism not acceptable in most Hindu homes. And the interesting fact is that Setalvad is not even Setalvad anymore, being Mrs Javed Ansari-Anand in her matrimonial avatar. This, of course, is ample proof that she cannot argue in Hindu space with a Muslim name. So camouflage pays as in the chameleon's case.

For the past three days, few of the secularists have been reading the vernacular press. The headlines have all been about Dilip Kumar and Shabana. The December 12 protest outside Dilip Kumar's house specifically mentioned Dilip Kumar and Shabana and left out Mahesh Bhatt and Deepa Mehta. I suppose you get the drift of my argument. It is now no more about homosexuality and alternative lifestyles, whatever critics like Subhash K Jha and others may say. It is now a Hindu-Muslim issue and everybody is taking sides. The agenda is being set by the Hindutva movement and the secularists are in 'tailism' mode, as the Marxists would say.

Let me point out two incidents that took place recently. One was a public meeting at Malad, in north Bombay, by Mahanagar editor Nikhil Wagle, which was mostly attended by Hindus. The Left-leaning Wagle argued sensibly within the Hindu paradigm. He said alternative lifestyles like homosexuality existed and must be recognised. He pleaded for tolerance and learning to live with real people in a real India. He was heard with rapt attention.

The very next day, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader in Vile Parle in western Bombay, also held a meeting. His lecture was anything but homophobic. He said he recognised that "such people" existed in our society and that they had a right to live peacefully (thank god), but he said women did not become lesbians if their husbands neglected them and insisted that there was a political agenda in the film to denigrate Hindus.

This is hardly fanaticism. For the first time I'm seeing a debate on homosexuality and alternative lifestyles from a Hindu platform and not seeing them spew religious garbage at homosexuals. That's what is so impressive to me and that's what should be encouraged.

We are now beyond the homophobic situation that exists in the West. There every homophobic statement and action against homosexuals and lesbians are laid at the door of the Bible or the Quran. The recent Matt Sheppard killing was justified by every Christian congregation except the ones specifically organised or sensitised to gay and lesbian issues.

But the debate over Fire is the first issue around homosexuality that has been argued within a Hindu paradigm. We gay people have won the first round against any form of mainstream hatred.

Out of evil cometh good, goes the Biblical saying. The next battle will be to see whether the Hindutva forces accept homosexuality as a legitimate and valid lifestyle. That will determine whether they are really a Hindu version of the Taliban or a reaction to the lop-sided nature of secularism in this civilisation.

As for Dilip Kumar, let me say I'm disappointed. How is it Yusuf Khan did not protest the Muslim ire against Mani Ratnam's Bombay? I didn't hear a whimper from either him or Shabana then. Of course, possibly they didn't have the excellent services of and advice from Teesta Setalvad then!

Ah secularism, you are ill served by your masters. Meanwhile, we shall fight our battles on Hindu ground. We are like that only!

EARLIER COLUMN:
Expose the Hindu Taliban!

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