Secularism needs to be preserved: Nayantara Sahgal

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She was speaking at TATA Literature Live 2015 event along with Carnatic music vocalist, T M Krishna on the subject, “No time for Silence”. She underlined the importance of preserving secularism, and expressed fears that the Modi government, which does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, may amend the Constitution once it gets majority in a couple of years.

Krishna, who recently penned an open letter to PM Narendra Modi on the Dadri incident and the murder of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and M M Kalburgi, said that bracketing of writers, historians and thinkers as intellectuals was a problem as it placed them on a pedestal separating them from people. “We have to be careful of not falling into that trap. Conversations are happening only in English, on TV channels or on edit page”, Krishna said, adding that the movement needed to reach schools and colleges too. Sahgal said education focussed more on tech and commerce. “They now have shut minds with legitimate concerns like jobs. Not inspired leadership like the youth in my age”, said the 88-year-old. Krishna said Dadri was being turned into a political playground between the BJP and the Congress, when it was actually an issue about people’s right to lead their own lives. “As citizens, we all have the right to ask why people are being killed for nothing,” he said, adding that the mridangam, a musical instrument, was made with goatskin and cow hide. “This way, half the instruments would be banned. I want to know how many shoes these politicians own?” Sahgal said. “This is not a country of Hindus. We are secular and that needs to be preserved.”

Krishna said the debate needs to be extended across the spectrum. “We need to begin conversations with children, their friends. People in corporate hierarchy should start discussing life and society in office, beyond balance sheets. You don’t need to print or tweet, just talk and listen.”
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