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Journalism of Courage
Marathi content creator Atharva Sudame deleted a reel promoting religious harmony and pluralism following backlash on social media. Anand Dave of the Brahmin group Akhil Bharatiya Brahman Mahasangh also opposed the video. Sudame later put out an apology video saying he did not intend to hurt sentiments and that he had previously created multiple reels on Hindu festivals, Marathi culture and Marathi language. Dr Hamid Dabholkar of the Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) opposed the hate directed towards Sudame by saying that taking down the reel was a sign of an intolerant society.
In the now-deleted reel, Sudame was shown walking into a Ganpati idol shop to buy an idol and selects one he wants to purchase. The shopkeeper’s son then walks in with a skullcap, revealing that the shop belongs to a Muslim family. The shopkeeper says that Sudame could buy an idol from any other shop if he wished. However Sudame buys the idol from him saying, “While making the Ganpati you had good intentions in your heart, right? My father says we should be like sugar that sweetens both shev kheer as well as sheer khurma, like a brick that makes both a mandir and a masjid, like a flower that is used in a garland as well as a chaddar (holy sheet) as well.”
Similarly, an X account, @paakittadnya, posted, “Marathi Reelstar Atharv Sudame posted this video on Instagram and deleted within a couple of hours due to backlash. Gen Z is being brainwashed by such influencers and the influencers are nurtured and promoted by the language chauvinist lobby. Beware.”
Dr Hamid Dabholkar of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) opposed the hate directed towards Sudame by saying that taking down the reel was a sign of an intolerant society. “Respecting each other’s religion and participating in each other’s religious activities are age-old traditions in this country. The… withdrawal of a reel promoting these values is a sign of how intolerant we are becoming in the name of religion. It’s high time that we as a community stop supporting such polarising activities and stand firmly behind the culture of religious harmony,” he said.
City-based lawyer and activist Asim Sarode wrote on Facebook, “…Such attacks on freedom of expression should be firmly repelled… now that some religious fanatics are threatening Atharva, I have just spoken to Raj Saheb that he and MNS should stand with Atharva. Atharva should re-upload that video. Let’s see who does what.”
Sudame could not be reached for a comment.
