Write Goal, Wrong Means

It was in 1975 when Durga Bhagwat first raised a banner of revolt against emergency from the podium of Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan t...

It was in 1975 when Durga Bhagwat first raised a banner of revolt against emergency from the podium of Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Sammelan that was hosted by the then Union Minister Y B Chavan. Ms Bhagwat was subsequently imprisoned. Her rebel marked the beginning of a debate in Marathi literary circles on the role of politicians and the state in the annual literary meet. However, the Marathi literary media and the Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal MSM have failed to sort out the issue that dominated the last quarter of this century and are unlikely to resolve it in the next millennium as well, if the present level of debate is any indication.

This year Vasant Bapat, a noted populist poet, lyricist and a freedom fighter associated with the Socialist movement, is the president of the meet to be hosted by the Sena leader Manohar Joshi. There is also a parallel meet being organised and quite aptly it8217;s called the Vidrohi Sahitya Sammelan.8217;

The opposition to the sahitya sammelan was foretold, given the fact that asthe chief minister, Joshi had bluntly defended the Sena men who had attacked the very core of freedom of expression. Now, Bapat too is under tremendous pressure for taking a stand against Sena8217;s hooliganism, in his presidential address.

There are other aspects to this controversy as well. Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal is the federation of eight literary organisations, which elect the president of the annual meet. A writer has to be a member of one of these eight organisations to contest the election. Four out of eight organisations are from neighbouring states and each has been given a fixed quota of votes. The total number of voters does not exceed 250. These handful of voters elect the president of the Sammelan.

Though, the president is the centre of attraction for the event that goes on for two or three days, he has no power whatsoever. His only duty is to deliver a presidential address and receive felicitations from various literary and non-literary organisations across the state till the nextelection. In all his speeches including the presidential address, no president has ever touched upon any vital issue concerning contemporary literature. The honour is conferred upon him for his 8220;contribution8221; to the Marathi literature.

Though the MSM elects the president of the meet, it does not have funds to meet the expenses of the extravaganza. It is at this point that the state government, politicians, sugar barons and non-aided educational institutes come into picture. Politicians use this platform to refurbish their sagging image or plot their political rehabilitation. For them it is an opportunity to demonstrate their power and political clout.

It has become a ritual to pass some resolutions at the meet. Since 1979, under pressure from the Dalit movement, almost every Sammelan had passed a resolution supporting the renaming of Marathwada University after Dr B R Ambedkar. It went on till the renaming took place. After the Sena-BJP combine came to power, the Lefts began pressing for a resolutioncondemning all the organisations that were assaulting the freedom of expression.

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Most of the writers turn up for this meet only if they receive travel allowance and free accommodation. The debates organised at the Sammelan are usually on some trivial issues. Organisers face a tough time to accommodate swelling numbers of self protesting poets at the Kavi Sammelan.

But the response, particularly in rural areas to such events is immense. People come from far off places, even from abroad to see, hear and interact with the writers. The meet guarantees a record sale of books for publishers who put up stalls at the venue. The massive turn out of people blinds the writers and attracts politicians. Since it is impossible to give representations to all the streams in Marathi literature in only one meet, sectorial sammelans are mushrooming. They represent regional, cultural and political identities.

The controversy over Manohar Joshi8217;s presence has resulted in the organisation of two parallel Sammelans. SkhalSahitya Sammelan8217; that was held in Mumbai on January 30, the day Joshi was removed from the Chief Ministership condemned Thackeray, Joshi and the Sainiks but did not challenge the Akhil Bharatiya Sammelan.

On the other hand, Vidrohi Sahitya Sammelan8217; which is to be held on February 7, has condemned the so-called mainstream meet for it being vulnerable to Brahminical, capitalist and communal forces.8217;

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Earlier, such cultural events used to be the battlefield for the Sangh Parivar, Communists and Socialists. The Sena never meddled in such issues. The Sena Chief has contempt for the Marathi writers. According to him they have hardly furthered the cause of the Marathi people. He also knows well that his following is not from the middle class and hardly pays any heed to what elite say.

On the other hand, Manohar Joshi and Pramod Navalkar, the two senior Sena leader, are careful about nursing their middle-class roots. But they too took interest in the Sammelan only after the Sena came to power.

It goeswithout saying that writers absorbed in such mega events could hardly produce the work that is directed at transforming readers. Most of the writer for and against boycotting the present meet, are not aware that the foremost duty of a writer is to write well, for writing is a political act.