Indian politicians are like Indian movies.
Both rarely ever make any sense.
But for once, we were witness to a politician who articulated a cogent response to an issue agitating millions of movie fans, not merely in Tamil Nadu, but across the world – the ban of Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha has strongly, and effectively, rebutted the charges that held her responsible for Kamal Haasan’s problems in getting his film Vishwaroopam released.
Above all, I liked Jayalalitha’s remark that she has stopped watching films.
A sensible lady.
Who can watch the shit expelled by the Tamil film industry week after week! (In fairness, I must add that Jaya did not specify Tamil films but merely said ‘films’ in her press conference.)
I strongly recommend readers view the full press conference hosted by Jayalalitha in Chennai today:
Bigger Tragedy
Assuming all that Jayalalitha said above is accurate, the blame for the ban must fall on some sections of the Muslim community.
The Muslim population in Tamil Nadu is 3.49 million, representing 5.6% of the state’s population of 62.41 million.
Now let’s assume, for argument’s sake, that the various Muslim groups protesting the release of Vishwaroopam represent about 50% of the Muslims in the state. After all, there could be many Muslims in Tamil Nadu who don’t give a damn about Vishwaroopam or any other Kollywood Roopam.
This means that 1.7 million Muslims in Tamil Nadu are dictating what the remaining 60.7 million will watch.
Is this what democracy in a supposedly secular nation has turned out to be – A tiny minority holding hostage the vast majority on the altar of violence (or law and order, to use the Indian euphemism).
No wonder we call our nation Incredible India!
Incredible, for all the wrong reasons.
Jayalalitha Makes Perfect Sense added by SearchIndia.com on
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Jayalalitha made absolutely no sense.
“Assuming all that Jayalalitha said above is accurate” is a very bad assumption.
This was the only face saving move she could do in the circumstances she found herself in.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Her logic on the police force required at every theatre for three shifts (60 cops for each of the 524 theatres) is difficult to refute.
Oh yes… very sounds logic… very difficult to refute… In future this will be the template for sound logic.
Her whole defence is based on a ficticious story that there was an imminent law and order threat across all the districts in the Taliban Nadu if the movie is screened.
A threat that only she and Cho Ramasamy knows.
A threat that her advocate general Navaneetha Krishnan could not or did not explain to Judge Venkatraman, who stayed the Ban.
A threat that she didn’t feel the need to inform the Central Government.
A threat that miraculously vanished as soon as a group of big names from the Film industry opened a communication channel with her.
A threat that vaporized just 1 day after the 2 Judge bench re-banned the movie.
A threat that suddenly didnt matter anymore after Kamal haasan offered to accept some edits in the movie.
A threat that was somehow stays within TN and is non-existent just few kms into Kerala / Andhra where the movie is running.
A threat that no one in any media knew.
A threat that Karunanidhi and DMK didn’t know.
I love such threats!
Her statistics remind me only of this -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ_haiwgTlY
If we were to believe her “sound” logic and statistics then People living in TN can kiss their ass goodbye when there is a “real” law & order threat.
If the state does not have adequate cops to protect even 500 theaters then people should start a mass exodus right now!
All theater and private establishment are always forced to have a minimum security available even when there is no threat. This is a basic requirement which is already provided.
Reading inane numbers from a peice of paper does make one sound credible!
Again, if the threat was so real then why did she keep it secret from the nearby states and central government? Why wasn’t the army on alert?
Why did the Central Government ask TN to reconsider the ban?
Why is the Information and Broadcasting minister mulling the idea of amending the cinematography act to prevent arbitrary state decisions?
Why was TN Govt. lawyer Navaneetha Krishnan mouthing garbage about the Film’s certification process?
Why was the movie even allowed to run for 30 minutes before the police stopped the show?
Had the Govt. restricted the screening in some districts/areas citing sensitivity then it would have made sense.
She had to give this ridiculous speech because: –
Some Muslim groups reached an amicable settlement with Kamal when the 2 judge bench was hearing the case
Muslim groups backed off because moderate and responsible muslims distanced themselves from the call for ban.
Her name and credibility suffered total damage and there was zero support for her in public or anywhere else
The Government’s case was pretty weak had Kamal gone to Supreme Court (outside her control)
Her statement and claims are laughable, condemnable and a disgrace at many level.
History shows that Jayalalitha gets an attack of [deleted] every time she is in power: –
Public fall out with Rajinikanth
Lavish wedding of her “adopted” son with gross mis-use of public resource (No one knows where that “son” is now)
Arrest of Karunanidhi
Arrest of N.Ram, editor of The Hindu
Arrest of Shankaracharya
Mass sacking of Government employees
So, her behavior now is no surprise. Only the victim has changed.
She says Kamal is 58 years old and he took a calculated risk by investing all his wealth. She is correct it was Kamal’s decision.
But, commonsense tells you that even calculated risk is based on static and dynamic factors.
Kamal or anyone in any field would depend on some certainities such as Clearing the Certification process, availability of theaters, Powers upholding the law etc.
No one assumes that the Government will take personal interest in stopping the release of the movie. When even such assumptions are not possible then the situation is called chaotic at best and anarchy at its worst.
She also says she asked Kamal to screen the movie to Muslim leaders and accept some cuts! So now, all movies in India have to be cleared by Governments and different religious and casteist groups? Makes perfect sense!
She says the whole thing could have been settled amicable had Kamal contacted the Government instead of going to the court. Now, if the Government was so goody goody then they could have contacted Kamal or his people and worked with him on delaying the movie or atleast communicating the decision to ban it rather than just ban it when he was in the air flying to LA.
Also, it is beyond belief that there were no law and order issues when the release was announced for Jan 9th/10th. No ban was imposed. Maybe the people who threatened voilence were depending on theater owners to stall the release due to his DTH plans? Smart terrorists! they sure know a thing or two about efficient use of resources!
The claim that this whole episode (still not over) is personal / political vendetta and vote bank politics is more believable than the “I have no idea about Vishwaroopam… I don’t watch movies anymore… it is only law and order” story.
The only thing acceptable about her speech was that it was cogent.
As far as Kamal is concerned, many people (including me) are a little disappointed that he agreed to compromise instead of going to the Supreme Court. But, it is totally understandable.
Everyone has a “Breaking Point” (Saw Kurudhippunal?). With his lifetime wealth (according to him) at stake and losses mounting every day, he didn’t have much of a choice.
I expect all the hype around the movie will help him recover more than what he would have had it released without trouble. He may get the benefit of lenient reviews and sympathetic audience.
Is this movie (or any other) worth all this hype? NO.
Sorry for the long and incoherent post. I just typed everything that came to mind when I saw that speech.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: Sorry for the long and incoherent post.
Sweetie, every “long and incoherent post” deserves an equally “long and coherent” response. So here we go! 😉
2. You write: Oh yes… very sounds logic… very difficult to refute… In future this will be the template for sound logic.
The fundamental premise of Jayalalitha’s argument in the press conference is that there was apprehension of violence (a.k.a. law and order in Indian parlance) and not enough policemen to protect the 524 theaters for three shifts and hence the ban on the film.
It’s sensible to believe the Muslim agitators will attack theaters where and when there’s no protection. So you’d need 24×7 protection for all the theatres.
I would say it’s hard to find 56,440 (31,440 policemen to defend all the 524 theaters in Tamil Nadu, 11,000 policemen for patrolling, 7,500 for sensitive districts like Coimbatore, Ramnad and 6,500 rapid strike force personnel). But availability is only 9,226 policemen.
If Tamil Nadu government were to deploy even limited policemen in each of the 524 theatres, that would be boon and a field-day for the other criminals.
Islam is currently in a heightened state of ferment worldwide and it’s not unreasonable to expect some Muslim elements will be quick to resort to violence to protest perceived attacks against their faith.
Jayalalitha is right when she says, “Most people…seem to be totally unaware of the sheer logistics of administration, maintenance of law and order.”
More so in a country where anomie and lawlessness is often the rule than the exception.
Jayalalitha also rightly pointed out, “Maintaining law and order doesn’t mean allowing a situation to turn violent, allowing violence to take place and then stepping in to try and quell the violence and restore peace.” I agree with her that such a technique of administration is “not always possible, not sensible and not practical.”
3. You write: Her whole defence is based on a ficticious story that there was an imminent law and order threat across all the districts in the Taliban Nadu if the movie is screened
Jayalalitha was also clear that the government relied on intelligence inputs to take preemptive action to prevent violence.
I have no reason to believe the imminent law and order threat was fictitious.
Sure, I have no proof that the imminent law and order threat was not fictitious. But neither do you have proof that imminent law and order threat was fictitious.
Where there’s even a remote possibility of violence, it’s better to err on the side of caution to prevent loss of life.
As the Catholics never tire of saying, “Every life is sacred.” Once there is violence, there’s bound to be a police response (lathi-charge, water cannon, teargas, firing) and people get injured and lives may even be lost.
No point in lamenting a life lost or an injury if you can prevent it from happening. Again, Jayalalitha is right on the point that preventing violence is better than responding to it.
Now, let’s not get excited and describe Tamil Nadu as Taliban Nadu.
Taliban Nadu, Tamil Nadu most definitely is not.
The Taliban won’t let girls go to school, insist on women wearing veil, won’t let anyone listen to music and definitely won’t allow people to watch Tamil movies or any other movies. Fun and entertainment is anathema to the Taliban.
Muslims in Tamil Nadu are for the most part having fun, listening to music and enjoying movies, and generally leading their lives in ways unthinkable in the Taliban dominated areas in Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Khushboo, Arya, Abbas etc are some of the notable Muslims in the Tamil film industry. Khushboo may have since converted to Hinduism but she started her career in Tamil films as a Muslim.
3. You write: A threat that only she and Cho Ramasamy knows.
It’s not as if Jayalalitha kept the rationale for the ban a secret during the press conference.
Au contraire, Jayalalitha in her press conference unambiguously, unequivocally said, “My first and foremost priority is the maintenance of law and order and to ensure public peace and a tranquil atmosphere in which people can carry on with their daily lives and their daily work.”
In the press conference, Jayalalitha also clearly said, “Intelligence reports were received about the possibility, the very real possibility, of violence around the theaters. The only way to maintain law and order is to provide necessary protection, police protection to all the 524 theaters.”
How much more clarity do we need from Jayalalitha.
It’s good to have an air of skepticism in life but when stretched too far skepticism can turn into a dangerous paranoia, a refusal to believe anything that does not fit into one’s paradigm.
5. You write: A threat that she didn’t feel the need to inform the Central Government.
Law and order is a state subject and there’s no need to go running to the Central Govt if you can handle the imminent threat on your own or unless there’s a complete breakdown of the law and order machinery.
Jayalalitha has so far proved that the Tamil Nadu govt could meet the imminent threat of violence and there was no breakdown of law and order except for some incidents during the brief time the movie was being screened after the single judge’s order.
In any case, neither you nor I are privy to the communications between the intelligence organizations in Tamil Nadu and the central police outfits (IB/Central Reserve Police etc) whether the Tamil Nadu government alerted them.
6. You write: A threat that miraculously vanished as soon as a group of big names from the Film industry opened a communication channel with her.
The threat has not vanished because Section 144 has not been removed and the movie is still not being screened.
The threat will now likely be minimized since Kamal Haasan has agreed to chop off scenes that the protesting Muslims don’t like.
In my view, India should start a Muslim Censor Board, which should be made the ultimate approving authority for all movies released in India, be they Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Bhojpuri or even English.
The existing Central Film Censor Board should be scrapped immediately.
7. You write: A threat that vaporized just 1 day after the 2 Judge bench re-banned the movie.
It’d have been odd if the threat had not vaporized or diminished since the entire Muslim threat was predicated on screening the movie.
So that’s hardly anything to be surprised about.
8. You write: A threat that suddenly didnt matter anymore after Kamal haasan offered to accept some edits in the movie.
Again, the whole Muslim protests and the law and order threats were because of some supposedly objectionable scenes.
If Kamal agrees to remove those “supposedly objectionable scenes,” obviously there’s no issue of a threat to law and order within the existing social fabric of Tamil Nadu.
9. You write: A threat that was somehow stays within TN and is non-existent just few kms into Kerala / Andhra where the movie is running.
This is an interesting point. There were some violent incidents in Karnataka, AP and parts of Kerala too.
I will argue that interest in Vishwaroopam is insignificant outside Tamil Nadu. Sure, there are a few diehard fans of Kamal Haasan in Kerala, Andhra etc but they are a minuscule number compared to Kamal’s fans in Tamil Nadu. Since there was not as much hype in other parts of the country, the issue did not snowball into a frenzy in other parts. As an aside, I suspect most Muslims in Kerala are too busy trying to get an exit visa to the Gulf countries and Muslims in Andhra, like most Telugu biddas, are trying their best to acquire Samantha’s e-mail ID or Telephone number. 😉
Still, let’s not forget that the movie has been banned in Singapore, Malaysia, Qatar etc where, as Jayalalitha reminded us in the press conference, she does not call the shots.
10. You write: A threat that no one in any media knew.
The last time I checked, the Indian media was neither privy to law and order/intelligence information nor the decision making authority.
On the lines of Jayalalitha’s statement that “Kamal Haasan does not make the PM,” the media does not make law and order decisions nor are they aware of the situation.
The Indian media reports AFTER the incident.
11. You write: A threat that Karunanidhi and DMK didn’t know.
I don’t know what relevance Karunanidhi and his DMK cohorts have in this “Law and Order” discussion since he’s not running the administration but is part of the opposition with a vested interest in making hay for the DMK out of every incident.
Let’s not forget that charges were made even during Karunanidhi’s administration regarding some movies having a hard time for various reasons.
12. You write: I love such threats!
I love Jennifer Lawrence, I love Lakshmi Rai, I love Vimala Raman, I love Tabu, I Love Ingrid Bergman, I love Audrey Hepburn, I love …..
Alas, all my “I Loves” are not getting me anywhere. 😉
On a more serious note, if you’re looking to be sarcastic and disdainful of those threats there has to be an explanation beyond the “I love.”
13. You write: Her statistics remind me only of this -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ_haiwgTlY
These statistics may be of more relevance to the discussion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl8-TEiYCNY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMaLfStmlec
14. You write: If we were to believe her “sound” logic and statistics then People living in TN can kiss their ass goodbye when there is a “real” law & order threat.
This is a non sequitur and also one with no basis in fact.
Let’s be fair to Jayalalitha. Since Jayalalitha took over as Chief Minister on May 16, 2011 there has not been any major break down in law and order or mass violence. At least, nothing more than what we can expect in any part of Incredible India under “normal” circumstances.
15. You write: If the state does not have adequate cops to protect even 500 theaters then people should start a mass exodus right now!
Well, you and I have already done that. 😉
There are enough reasons for a mass exodus from India.
I agree that a state that cannot ensure security for 524 cinemas is a weak state. I use “state” in the larger sense of the term to mean nation.
By your logic, and rightly so, India should not have banned Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses, Nine Hours to Rama by Stanley Wolpert etc. If we cannot provide security to a few bookstores or a few hundred cinemas, then people should start an exodus.
Ban on cow slaughter is another reason to consider an exodus. Several states have a partial or full ban on cow slaughter. Why should some Hindus dictate what the rest of the population eat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_in_religion#The_law_in_India
Some Hindus in the cow-belt and elsewhere are no less ridiculous than this bunch of agitating Muslims.
My basic point again is that the Indian state is too weak vis-a-vis the various internal organizations and associations of people that frequently agitate for one reason or the other.
16. You write: All theater and private establishment are always forced to have a minimum security available even when there is no threat. This is a basic requirement which is already provided.
Hardly!
Most theaters outside cities do not have a separate security person. Even in the big cities, security is barely one or two people, hardly enough to contain a crowd of angry, violent protesters or mob.
I agree with Jayalaltha that to have an effective deterrent, you need at least 20 policemen per shift, particularly when the protesters have already vocally made known their displeasure and threatened to disrupt screening. That’s 60-people for three 8-hour shifts in a day.
Security should be visible and large in number to prevent violence.
There’s not a single theatre in India that can afford to employ 60-security persons.
Plus, you seem to think that violence will be only in front of the cinema theatre. That’s not necessarily the case. A violent mob agitated over the screening of Vishwaroopam could vent their fury in a different place. Again, as Jayalalitha mentioned in the press conference you need a large patrol force in all districts.
Only the naive underestimate the fury and power of an incensed Islamic mob.
17. You write: Reading inane numbers from a peice of paper does make one sound credible!
The dictionary definition of “inane” is silly.
I found nothing silly in the statistics Jayalalitha furnished about the police personnel. They were logical and persuasive!
As a matter of fact, Jayalalitha was most convincing when she spoke of the total police sanctioned force, actual strength of force, vacancies, distribution of police by various departments etc.
18. You write: Again, if the threat was so real then why did she keep it secret from the nearby states and central government? Why wasn’t the army on alert?
Again, law and order is a state subject. Every state has a Home Minister and Home security responsible for law and order. There is no need for her to run to the Central Government.
The Army is used as a last resort, usually after violence has broken out.
In any case, we do not know if Tamil Nadu government alerted the Central Reserve Police or neighboring states.
Unfortunately, they do not CC you or me on the intelligence reports. If they did so, our already lively blog would get livelier! 😉
19. You write: Why did the Central Government ask TN to reconsider the ban?
If there is violence in Tamil Nadu over the movie, it’s not the Central Government’s headache.
It becomes Jayalalitha’s problem. If violence had broken out and some Muslims were injured or died in police action, the Tamil Nadu government would have been pilloried and blamed for mishandling the situation and “suppressing and repressing the minority community.”
Bottom line, the Central government does not have as much stake in the Tamil Nadu situation.
20. You write: Why is the Information and Broadcasting minister mulling the idea of amending the cinematography act to prevent arbitrary state decisions?
The central government should first do some soul searching and introspection. When the Government of India bans books (Satanic Verses etc) it has no moral high ground to talk about amending the cinematography act to prevent arbitrary state decisions.
In any case, the Tamil Nadu government’s decision does not strike me as capricious or arbitrary.
21. You write: Why was TN Govt. lawyer Navaneetha Krishnan mouthing garbage about the Film’s certification process?
Most Indians consider it their birthright to spew garbage, spout venom and generally behave like an idiot every now and then. Blame the Indian DNA for that.
But that should not constrain the rest of the sensible ones from calmly mulling over the subject and strongly analyzing it like Jayalalitha did today in her press conference.
22. You write: Why was the movie even allowed to run for 30 minutes before the police stopped the show?
With 524 theaters in the state, it’s most likely the police were unaware that some theaters had started screening the movie.
It’s also possible that they had received threats/reports of violence, at which time they stepped in and stopped the screening.
Remember, the protesters had made no secret that they would hold demonstrations etc outside the theaters screening the film.
Surely, it did not escape your attention that Jayalalitha mentioned there was a chain of violent incidents in various parts of the state yesterday after the single judge’s order.
23. You write: Had the Govt. restricted the screening in some districts/areas citing sensitivity then it would have made sense.
That makes no sense because Muslims are not restricted only to Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy or Vellore. They are present all over the state.
Running the film in some places also provides an opportunity for the protesters to gather in strength at these places.
24. You write: She had to give this ridiculous speech because: –
Some Muslim groups reached an amicable settlement with Kamal when the 2 judge bench was hearing the case
Muslim groups backed off because moderate and responsible muslims distanced themselves from the call for ban.
Her name and credibility suffered total damage and there was zero support for her in public or anywhere else
The Government’s case was pretty weak had Kamal gone to Supreme Court (outside her control)
Jayalalitha’s point during the press conference that Tamil Nadu’s Cinemas Regulation Act of 1955 gives the right to ban the film is clear evidence that she is not on a weak wicket vis-a-vis the judiciary or other groups.
25. You write: Her statement and claims are laughable, condemnable and a disgrace at many level.
History shows that Jayalalitha gets an attack of [deleted] every time she is in power: –
Public fall out with Rajinikanth
Lavish wedding of her “adopted” son with gross misuse of public resource (No one knows where that “son” is now)
Arrest of Karunanidhi
Arrest of N.Ram, editor of The Hindu
Arrest of Shankaracharya
Mass sacking of Government employees
None of the above has any relevance to the Vishwaroopam situation.
We’re going to have snow tomorrow in our area. But that has nothing to do with the Vishwaroopam ban.
In any case, show me an Indian leader or any leader without megalomaniacal or Napoleonic tendencies and I’ll stop blogging.
Lalloo Yadav, Mamta Banerjee, Mayawati, Indira Gandh, Sanjay Gandhi….the list goes on. Outside India, Reagan sacked thousands of air traffic controllers and went crazy over Star wars defense program.
If you’re talking of gross misuse of public resource, let’s not forget too that Karunanidhi is hardly a paragon of virtue or rectitude (Evidence: Sarkaraia Commission report).
26. You write: So, her behavior now is no surprise. Only the victim has changed.
If we are arguing on the basis of past actions or statements, justified or unjustified, then we’ll have to take the ridiculous course of hailing Kamal Haasan as a thief with reference to every film, condemning Karunanidhi as corrupt in every action, conceding that Trisha has never starred in a single Tamil movie (she said she was not getting into movies in an early interview) etc.
Obviously such a line of argument makes no sense, has no basis in logic and is wrong in every sense.
27. You write: She says Kamal is 58 years old and he took a calculated risk by investing all his wealth. She is correct it was Kamal’s decision.
Good! I’m glad, Jayalalitha, You and I can agree on something. 😉
28. You write: But, commonsense tells you that even calculated risk is based on static and dynamic factors. Kamal or anyone in any field would depend on some certainties such as Clearing the Certification process, availability of theaters, Powers upholding the law etc.
In any business risk, calculated or not, the chances of a good return on investment is highly uncertain.
Every movie is a risk considering audience taste is so fickle.
Once Kamal Haasan included a Muslim aspect in the movie, it should have been apparent to him that the risk to a healthy return on investment increased manifold.
As Kamal explains humorously in this video, there’s always somebody who’ll get upset with even a movie title – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7r7bE5qXm8
Plus, it’s not as if this is the first time people are protesting something in a movie.
There are reports that Vijay’s Thuppakki too faced some issues with some aspects of the film from some Muslim groups.
But since Vijay is a podiyan (kid) compared to Kamal, no one cared and the Thuppakki shit released and went on to become a hit.
29. You write: No one assumes that the Government will take personal interest in stopping the release of the movie. When even such assumptions are not possible then the situation is called chaotic at best and anarchy at its worst.
Kamal Haasan, more than any other Indian star, should know how even small events play a preponderant role in Indian daily life. After all, Kamal made a movie Dasavatharam where small events can have amplified ripple effects much later.
During the best of times, chaos is the normal state of affairs in Incredible India.
That said, it’s an assumption that the Tamil Nadu government has a vested interest in screwing Kamal Haasan by stopping the release of his movie.
There’s no evidence to support the claim that the Tamil Nadu government has a personal interest in thwarting Kamal Haasan’s career when movies produced by or involving family members of the DMK leaders are routinely released in the state without any trouble.
On the rivals stage, Kamal Haasan is hardly on the same level as Karunanidhi for Jayalalitha.
If, and this is purely hypothetical if, the AIADMK party wants to squeeze money out of Kamal, it’d mean the party is going after small fish instead of the big sharks.
As a seasoned political party, the AIDMK party knows there’s much, much bigger money with businessmen and their projects.
I think age, wide reading, better health and the vicissitudes of life have tempered Jayalalitha into a more reasonable being than is commonly believed.
30. You write: She also says she asked Kamal to screen the movie to Muslim leaders and accept some cuts! So now, all movies in India have to be cleared by Governments and different religious and casteist groups? Makes perfect sense!
This is the sad, depressing part of Indian cinema.
Pandering to a minority group to recover your money.
As I said earlier, the urgent need of the hour is to set up a Muslim Censor Board to replace the Central Film Censor Board.
31. You write: She says the whole thing could have been settled amicable had Kamal contacted the Government instead of going to the court. Now, if the Government was so goody goody then they could have contacted Kamal or his people and worked with him on delaying the movie or at least communicating the decision to ban it rather than just ban it when he was in the air flying to LA.
Life functions on the principle of Balance of Power.
The Mountain does not go to Mahomet, notwithstanding the old saying. Mahomet must always go to the Mountain.
If Kamal Haasan or any of us expect the government to reach out to Kamal suo motto, that’s an unrealistic and naive expectation.
Canceling the screening for the Muslim groups and not reaching out to the Tamil Nadu government proactively once they had asked him to screen the film for Muslims is Kamal’s fault within the context of the Indian milieu.
32. You write: Also, it is beyond belief that there were no law and order issues when the release was announced for Jan 9th/10th. No ban was imposed. Maybe the people who threatened voilence were depending on theater owners to stall the release due to his DTH plans? Smart terrorists! they sure know a thing or two about efficient use of resources!
If you believe Jayalalitha, the movie was screened to Muslims at the proverbial Eleventh hour. The screening of Vishwaroopam happened on January 21, close to its release date of January 25.
So it’s not unrealistic to believe that the Muslim community was aware of the actual contents of the movie in early January other than perhaps a whiff of some rumors.
33. You write: The claim that this whole episode (still not over) is personal / political vendetta and vote bank politics is more believable than the “I have no idea about Vishwaroopam… I don’t watch movies anymore… it is only law and order” story.
Every film producer’s calculation has the box office in mind – Choice of Hero, Heroine, Item number, songs, location, date of release etc.
Similarly, every act or decision of a seasoned politician has some political calculus built in it.
But that’s not to say politics/vote bank calculation is the only factor coloring the decision of a political leader or government.
Jayalalitha has effectively argued that based on intelligence reports the threat of violence was real.
34. You write: The only thing acceptable about her speech was that it was cogent.
I’m glad that we have at least one or two things we can agree upon.
35. You write: As far as Kamal is concerned, many people (including me) are a little disappointed that he agreed to compromise instead of going to the Supreme Court. But, it is totally understandable.
I’m also distressed that a small group of Muslims are basically dictating what the rest of Tamil Nadu must or must not watch. As I wrote above, 1.7 million Muslims in Tamil Nadu are dictating what the remaining 60.7 million will watch.
That indicates India is a weak state. A weak state is one in which various entities (religious group, caste groups, linguistic groups etc) can hold the government and the country hostage over their demands even if such demands seem completely irrational to the rest of the population.
36. You write: Everyone has a “Breaking Point” (Saw Kurudhippunal?).
Yes, I did see Kurudhippunal, a downright ridiculous movie where infiltration and safeguarding of the mole overrides the safety and lives of the operation chiefs (played by Arjun and Kamal Haasan). By the asinine logic of the movie, the directors and top officials of RAW, CIA, FBI etc should be willing to lay down their lives to protect the lives of the moles.
As if that were not bad enough, the police mole in the end becomes the head of the terrorist outfit after killing the operation chief (played by Kamal Haaasan).
Like most Kamal Haasam movies, before and after, Kurudhippunal is a piece of trash.
37. You write: With his lifetime wealth (according to him) at stake and losses mounting every day, he didn’t have much of a choice.
Kamal Haasan is no stranger to the Indian milieuu.
In India, people protest everything.
Barbers protest Billu Barber, Muslims protest Vishwaroopam, Thevars protest Deiva Thirumagan compelling the name change to Deiva Thirumagal, Christians protest The Last Temptation of Christ, Muslims protest Midnight’s Children and the list goes on ad nauseum.
As a resident of Tamil Nadu and Incredible India for 58 years, Kamal Haasan knows what to expect when religion figures in his movie.
I agree with Jayalalitha that Kamal Haasan took a “calculated gamble” and his gamble failed.
So there’s reason to fret that Kamal Haasan’s lifetime wealth is at stake, he will go bankrupt or that he will migrate to Timbuktu or Uranus since he’s unhappy.
38. You write: I expect all the hype around the movie will help him recover more than what he would have had it released without trouble. He may get the benefit of lenient reviews and sympathetic audience.
Maybe, maybe not.
In either event, you and I are neither going to benefit nor going to lose.
Only the review sponsor Sonny Chatrath has reason to complain. He may have lost a bit because if the movie had not been banned, your review would have received more page views. Ergo, more people would have seen his Air-Savings.com banner. 😉
39. You write: Is this movie (or any other) worth all this hype? NO.
Well, in your review you certainly hyped the movie and heaped lavish praise on Vishwaroopam hailing it as ” unlike any Indian movie ever made.”
Two Important points:
1. I assure everyone that Jayalalitha is not bequeathing her Poes Garden property to me. It’s just that I found Jayalalitha’s argument cogent and compelling. Some commenters have already complained, seemingly in jest, after reading the above post that we have joined the ADMK to start their North American wing. Hence this disclaimer.
2. All discussion between you and me on this subject is closed. Period.
You’ve had enough space to make an elaborate argument and I’ve responded to every point you’ve made.
Both of us have too little time to squander on Vishwaroopam, 56,440 policemen, ban, Cinemas Regulation Act of 1955 blah blah blah.
I wonder if other than you and me, any other reader will read the full response! 😉
1. Thanks for the courtesy of a detailed response.
2. I read your reply in full and I found more than a couple of points where we agreed.
3. Jayalalitha’s explanation hinges on an Intelligence report that she claims is the basis for the ban. You say that there is no evidence to believe it is fictitious and I say that it is (or at least grossly exaggerated). So, I agree… even if we want there is no point debating this further.
4. I stand by my review of Vishwaroopam. I did come back and add a couple of sobering points about it a day later. Between my review and now Vishwaroopam has been trending like hell in TV and social media with all the Court drama and Kamal’s melodrama.
You are correct. I have wasted too much time following this story… couldn’t help.. it was too addictive!
5. Is this your longest reply?
6. When are you watching/reviewing Varumayin Niram Sivappu?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Most likely, the longest comment and definitely the lengthiest response!
2. I need a break from Tamil movies after my overdose last week. Watched a whole bunch of Kamal films.
Varumayin Niram Sivappu, definitely next week! I have a bunch of foreign (non-Hollywood) films I want to get to first.
Plus, I plan to re-sign up for Netflix Instant tomorrow to watch the much-advertised political drama House of Cards (Kevin Spacey). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Cards_%28U.S._TV_series%29
I plan to binge on the TV series in one or two sittings (8-hours in all).
OMG… Is this the record for the longest ever response in SI? You boys need to get a room 😉
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yup, longest response so far!
Bowled over by the rallies 🙂 …but that apart, Jaya amma has a herculean track record of vendetta politics be it a fight with arch Nemesis karunanidhi(politics), Neighbouring CMs(Peers), Rajnikanth(arts) or Shankaracharya(religion) or N.Ram (media) and probably her paalkaran, newpaperkaran, kakooskari as well.
She fights not because it is a means to an end, she fights because it the only thing she knows. If this were WWII era, she would have probably have enlisted for the Nazi party, dethroned Hitler and rampaged all over the globe with the Nazi army in toe!!! Unfortunately Tamils are stuck between the Devil(Karunanidhi) and the Deep Sea(Amma) due to lack of credible alternatives 🙁
People get the leaders they deserve.
It was definitely worth reading the longest response of SI.
Had there been a Booker prize for Blog posts and comments, I would definitely recommend the above response for it. 😉
With immense reading, writing, arguing and vocabulary skills at hand, it’s sad that SI is just restricted to writing reviews on Indian Movies and Restaurants!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ixt6M9auub0
Watch from 5:30
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Well, Dr.Subramanian Swamy doesn’t have many kind words for anyone in the interview – Karunanidhi, Kamal Haasan, Jayalalitha or Chidambaram.
Clearly she has her eyes on the muslim vote bank, her gamble seems to that this will sway most Muslims to her support in the future.
I think democracy for politicians means win elections through what ever means possible and then use the power gained to extract as much wealth as possible from the system.
This is literally a cheap tactic for her and others who banned the movie, no cost for them at all and all the losses for the producers.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I don’t know if Muslims are a sizable vote bank in the state!
The Muslim population in Tamil Nadu is 3.49 million, representing 5.6% of the state’s population of 62.41 million. From the 3.49 million, you’ll have to subtract the below 18/below 21 and those too indifferent to vote etc.
Plus, they’re spread out across the state and don’t have a decisive influence/presence except in a small bunch of constituencies.
Further, it’s wrong to assume that all Muslims will vote in a similar/homogeneous fashion (i.e. for the same party).
Prima facie, Muslims don’t seem to be that big a factor in Tamil Nadu for the reasons explained above.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Vishwaroopam-row-Jayalalithaa-steps-in-Kamal-Haasan-thanks-her/articleshow/18280887.cms
>>”Now that she (Jayalalithaa) has helped us, why should we go (to the Supreme Court)?” Kamal asked.
Kamal is indeed brought to his knees.
Though I too feel the threat she is talking about is imaginary, I would say it is Karunanidhi who betrayed Kamal Haasan more than Jayalalitha. And it is high time he realizes that.
If Karunanidhi was so supportive of Kamal Haasan, why didn’t he issue even a single strong statement against Jayalalitha in support of releasing the movie? It is because of the fear that he will lose his traditional Muslim vote bank. So he is no different in this case.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. All kinds of shit happen in India.
We try hard to find reasons, dissecting every statement and action even when there’s no rationale for the calamities that befall people in India.
In times of adversity, most normal Hindus would find a “Guru” and organize Annadanam (gift of food), Go-danam (cow gift), prayers and homams (a special form of Hindu prayer) but since Kamal Haasan is an “abnormal” Indian by virtue of his atheism there’s no peace for him except to threaten Tamils that he’ll migrate to Uranus, Jupiter, etc etc! 😉
2. You write: If Karunanidhi was so supportive of Kamal Haasan, why didn’t he issue even a single strong statement against Jayalalitha in support of releasing the movie?
Being in the opposition, Karunanidhi is impotent in the Vishwaroopam case.
It’s unrealistic to expect that Jayalalitha would care to listen to him. She’d probably do the opposite of whatever Kalaignar says.
3. Regarding your point on Muslim Vote Bank, I’ve already explained to one of the previous commenters that prima facie it does not seem like a big a deal in Tamil Nadu considering their low numbers, their scattered status (spread out over different parts of the state), voting population, non-homogeneous voting etc.
4. As somebody suggested the other day, Kamal Haasan should just lick his Vishwaroopam losses on and make a Thenali, Komali or Sunnali kinda crap movie and he’ll recoup all his losses! Given the Tamil love for junk movies, Kamal Haasan can not only clear all his debts with moneylenders but he can become a moneylender himself!
I just cant imagine any other politician in India giving a speech like this, clarity of thoughts put forth convincingly and narrated well.
For such talent that she is, TN should have been number 1 in India, One of the most intelligent politicians in India.
But alas…our fate !!!
This episode has done a lot of damage to her chances on 2016, paving way for that [deleted] Karuna. If they come back again, SI, please do not come to TN ever..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: I just cant imagine any other politician in India giving a speech like this, clarity of thoughts put forth convincingly and narrated well.
Yes, it was a masterful presentation by Jayalalitha!
2. You write: This episode has done a lot of damage to her chances on 2016
I doubt this episode has inflicted much damage to her credibility, except maybe with some middle-class Facebook/Twitter voters.
I expect by next week Vishwaroopam will be history and Tamils will be too busy discussing Thulasi Nair with fervent intensity over her debut film Kadal (directed by Mani Ratnam).
BTW, Kadal is releasing in the U.S.
As as aside (hope I am not sidetracking the thread), came across this website [deleted] that reviews(Trashes) Bollywood movies in a hilarious collage of cartoons. A series of cartoons convey a thousand and odd words about the movie and you guys will love it…. 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Queen Anne is dead!
Liked the usage of the Queen Anne idiom..
By the way, why was the link removed?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Because people post links here and I’m mad that we never get a link to SI in return!
In any case, that deleted link has been posted here on several occasions and it’s not hard to guess the link.
Hi,Wanted to share this joke which i read at cini website on the wake of this ban!
Are you a die-hard fan of kamal? Wanna catch a show of the movie “vishwaroopam” now in tamilnadu.
No need to spend 1000 bucks for DTH/ or wait indefinitely for the ban to be removed/ in the long queue @ satyam paying 500/- and above, after it gets released.
Just wear a kullah and sport a beard and claim yourself to be a member of a small Muslim outfit /fringe group from the outskirts of tamilnadu.
You would be given a red carpet welcome and get elevated to be on the jury’s seat. You shall review and suggest to edit/delete scenes which you may not like at first sight.
Best thing is that your suggestions to edit/delete will be performed by the director then and there itself without any time lag.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Sadly, your joke is more or less a reality! 🙁
Yes, I also quite liked the way she tried to present the facts in terms of figures.
It was convincing even after I saw all the other things that happened with regards to Viswaroopam.
Moreover, she blamed Kamal for dragging this for more than a month without screening the movie to Muslims / hold talks even after Govt officials informally reached out to him and conveyed him to arrange for talks for Muslim concerns.
She made perfect sense when she pointed out that she does not give a damn even when the family of Karunanidhi does the business without much hurdles in film making, and there is absolutely no need for her to ban Kamal’s movie because of a personal rivalry.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Now Kamal Haasan has fallen at Jayalalitha’s feet! 😉
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Vishwaroopam-row-Jayalalithaa-steps-in-Kamal-Haasan-thanks-her/articleshow/18280887.cms
I agree with Naveen for the most part. Minority appeasement doesn’t seem to be the main issue here, although I don’t have any evidence to back up my assumptions.
1)The trailers for Vishwaroopam were released nearly 7 months back. Where were these Muslim groups then? Nobody made a sound, if I’m not wrong.
2)There were still no sign of them when the initial date was Jan 9th/10th. And all of a sudden, they demand a special screening of the film just days before its release and immediately ask for a ban as they claim “The screening of Vishwaroopam will disrupt social harmony in the state. Muslims are portrayed in poor light.”
Those who’ve watched the movie rubbish these claims. They say it stays clear of stereotypes and in fact show how innocent Muslims and their families suffer because of the Taliban and the US drone attacks.
The people who rubbish the claims included several Muslims who feel the entire issue is a cheap publicity stunt.
3)Even when the single judge lifted the ban on the movie, the Govt. was so keen to somehow impose the 2-week ban that they appeal to the Chief Justice the next day and re-imposed the ban. Kamal fans started protesting and many started gathering at his Alwarpet office to show their support.
WHERE was Jayalalitha then, when the issue was raging like a never-ending fire? Why did she have to wait for almost 2 weeks to intervene?
4) Do you think it’s a coincidence that her response came just about 2 days after the news of her alleged personal/business agendas appeared in the newspapers?
I don’t think so.
5)The only thing I agree with is her logic about the police force required.
6)My assumption is that these Muslim groups protesting are funded by a political hand. Imposing a ban is one thing. But going to such extent to get it done indicates there’s something else happening in the background. The Govt. kept insisting that Vishwaroopam offends Muslim sentiments and even went to the extent of calling the entire certification process a scam.
If she wants to take legal action against the newspapers and media for accusing her, then what punishment must she face for accusing the Censor board?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Because of their brief running time, trailers seldom provide insights into the full picture. It’s possible rumors of the supposedly ‘offending’ content may have wafted over to some Muslim groups.
2. You write: WHERE was Jayalalitha then, when the issue was raging like a never-ending fire? Why did she have to wait for almost 2 weeks to intervene?
Not two weeks, just one. Because the issue snowballed AFTER the ban on the eve of the film.
3. Unless you are the proverbial fly on the wall inside the secretariat, one can only speculate.
I agree. Speculation is all we can do and it’s not going to get us anywhere.
Hope the movie releases soon.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I expect all this publiShitty will help Kamal Haasan.
As they say, no such thing as bad publiShitty when it comes to movies, stars, celebrities etc.
As a famous American politician (“Big Tim” Sullivan) once said, I don’t care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right.
Aren’t you planning to watch the movie?
Or have you left the responsibility of reviewing Tamil movies to Naveen?
Btw, I watched Aalavandhan(2001). Although the movie itself is average for the most part, Kamal was good as the schizophrenic younger brother Nandu. Another plus is the decent music.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: Aren’t you planning to watch the movie?
One reason I’m not stepping out far is the weather. Terribly cold lately and my old creaking bones finds it very difficult (last night, there was snow again).
Vishwaroopam was supposed to release about 50KM from my place….but that crappy theatre is decades-old and does not have satellite/digital technology. So frequently Tamil prints don’t arrive and shows are cancelled. The nearest theatre where Vishwaroopam is playing involves a trip of 400-km (round-trip). You’ll agree that Ulaga Madayan is not worth a 400-km drive. Hindi films release without issue in good American theatres.
You’re right.
Better to stay indoors than going out in the shivering cold, whether it’s 400 km or 4 km.
Btw, a 400 km round-trip for a movie is just a waste of time and energy unless you’re the kind that loves to drive long trips.
Over here, I’ve made it a point to go only to Sathyam Cinemas for a movie. Best in Chennai in my opinion.
[deleted]
Height of irony. This idiot opposes Vishwaroopam claiming it offends Muslim sentiments and yet, he goes about insulting every single person right from politicians (although I don’t mind that), Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan and [deleted].
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I’ve deleted the video in your link because the rabble rouser seems like a lunatic making wild, offensive charges of bribes etc without any evidence!
That’s a legally objectionable video!
As long as the Govt. keeps entertaining such fringe groups, there would be no dearth of such lunatics.
Early reviews of Kadal say its not up to the mark…a good sign in turn for Vishwaroopam due soon in TN.
Off-topic :
RGV’s new movie 26/11 trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20v_DINmWXo
What do you think?
Personally, parts of the trailer made me think I was right there witnessing the terror unfolding.
I’m quite curious as to how the film would turn out. RGV better not mess this one up.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. If the 26/11 attack proved anything, it was Indian/Hindu impotence in the face of Pakistani audacity!
Pakistan may not have 2 million software programmers or 7 million call center employees but the country has 180 million
citizenssoldiers steadfast in their devotion to Islam.2. I’m not sure about Christianity but I doubt Hinduism can survive the relentless onslaught waged against it by Islam. Hinduism is faction-ridden and polytheistic, two factors that militate against it. Monotheistic religions have a better chance of rallying people against the enemy.
3. Christianity has a deeply cruel, ruthless, violent streak that may help it to push back against Islam but Hinduism is just no match for Islam’s ferocity and missionary zeal. In my not-so-humble view, Hinduism is a dying religion, a slow death masked by its present larger numbers.
4. The only hope India has is to nuke Pakistan into the stone age on some pretext. But Hindu India will never do that. Sikh loyalty to India in the sensitive border state of Punjab is also suspect because like with Islam the Sikh identity is stronger than the national Indian identity. In no other country can a member of a religion rise to the top after adherents of the religion kill the top leader of the nation (Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards). Only in Incredible India! Can a Muslim become the President of United States? Hell, No! In retrospect, America did the right thing in nuking Japan in 1945! When you’re fighting barbarians, you must banish all thoughts of mercy from your heart. America is also doing the right thing with drones. Every day, the Taliban must be going crazy, peering at the sky but not seeing the drones that rain bombs on their hideouts.
5. I hope RGV has made a decent film this time….It’s been a million years since the loudmouth put out an outstanding film.
I’m surprised this 26/11 trailer is not in theatres here – I see all kinds of junk trailers like Himmatwalla (Ajay Devgn, Tamannah) etc in theatres here. 🙁
1)The 26/11 attacks definitely show the utter incompetence of the Indian Govt. India’s intelligence agencies had actually warned the Govt. of a possible terrorist attack on Mumbai via sea. The list of potential targets included the Taj Mahal hotel and Chatrapathi Sivaji Terminus. The fact that the Govt. failed to prevent the attack despite the intel shows it’s utter incompetence and disregard for the nation’s safety.
2) I certainly agree.
3) Exactly. Hindus are divided by language, caste and region. No match at all compared to the unity shown by the Muslims in such cases.
4) Although the attack on Japan is justified, I don’t think the drone attacks on Afghanistan can be fully justified. Although the drones wipe out the savages, I read in a news article that several innocent people fall victims to the attacks as well. The victims include children. I don’t think the killings of children are justified in any way.
5)As of now, the trailer isn’t running in theaters. I myself came to know about this trailer when I was doing some youtube searches on 26/11. You’d be shocked to know that there are videos on YT that show the CCTV footage of the Taj and Oberoi hotels from the night of the attacks. I watched one of them and it was shocking… the sheer audacity of the attacks.
For his own sake, I hope the movie is good. It’s based on an incident that shocked the entire nation and he better not have taken any cinematic liberties. It better be true to real life.
Btw, I wouldn’t be surprised if gets embroiled in controversy just like Vishwaroopam.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. The movie 26/11 releases in a month…so we should know soon if RGV is fit to lick the bottom of Kathryn Bigelow’s feet.
2. You write: I don’t think the drone attacks on Afghanistan can be fully justified. Although the drones wipe out the savages, I read in a news article that several innocent people fall victims to the attacks as well. The victims include children. I don’t think the killings of children are justified in any way.
Were the deaths of the 3,000 worker-bees in the twin towers justified? They were as innocent, as much victims as the children allegedly killed by drones in the Taliban areas of of Afghanistan.
1)I haven’t seen Zero Dark Thirty. I don’t know if it’s ever going to release here or if it already had.
2)No, the attack on the twin tower can never be justified. I agree with you that they were just as innocent, as much victims as the innocent civilians killed by the drones. But you can’t deny that the subsequent American war on Afghanistan was no less horrific. If wikipedia can be believed, more than 12,000 innocent civilians were killed.
In my view, George.W. Bush is no less a terrorist than the ones who attacked the WTC on 9/11 or Mumbai on 26/11.
Although the killing of Osama was welcome news, you can’t deny that while Americans were celebrating, they drowned the cries of thousands of others who were paying the ultimate price because of what these terrorists did.
3)Now, coming to Vishwaroopam, Kamal has finally come to an agreement with the Muslims groups and has agreed to edit 7 scenes found to be objectionable.
So the movie would be released soon in the state.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Zero Dark Thirty is releasing on February 15 in India.
http://www.tellychakkar.com/releases/pvr-pictures-announces-release-dates-zero-dark-thirty-and-midnights-children
2. George W.Bush’s biggest blunder was Iraq (no WMD was ever found) . What a waste of money and lives!
Here is the Japanese realization of the bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki#Japanese_realization_of_the_bombing
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Terrible, man’s inhumanity toward fellow humans throughout history.
The Japanese were no less savages during their attack on China in the 1930s
During the Nanking massacre, the Japanese soldiers held contests among soldiers as to who’d kill 100 first…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre.
Infinitely horrific to read – Contest, Rape, and Massacre committed by the Japanese.
Jonathan Spence writes “there is no obvious explanation for this grim event, nor can one be found. The Japanese soldiers, who had expected easy victory, instead had been fighting hard for months and had taken infinitely higher casualties than anticipated. They were bored, angry, frustrated, tired. The Chinese women were undefended, their menfolk powerless or absent. The war, still undeclared, had no clear-cut goal or purpose. Perhaps all Chinese, regardless of sex or age, seemed marked out as victims.”
This made them highly deserving for the bombings by US.
But with the power and strength of the Chinese today, we can’t imagine that it would be 1937 Redux, if these two were to fight again.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: But with the power and strength of the Chinese today, we can’t imagine that it would be 1937 Redux, if these two were to fight again.
Japan is already a corpse.
Politically, economically, militarily and, above all, demographically, Japan is finito.
Its population is aging and catastrophically plunging.
Source: Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2013
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323375204578270053387770718.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
there’s VHP, Bajrang Dal. but guys like you should make up your mind on whether its okay to push muslims back now and then. Can’t cry ‘riots’ when they happen, and blame Hindus when they are bullied into silence.
60+ yrs on, still Godse is treated as an untouchable topic in India. Looks like the situation is brewing for another.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: guys like you should make up your mind on whether its okay to push Muslims back now and then. Can’t cry ‘riots’ when they happen, and blame Hindus when they are bullied into silence.
Muslims ought to be treated like anyone else. No less, no more.
No pandering to, no harassment.