Terror attacks are not new to India or the world at large. We humans have learnt to live with this constant trepidation, day in day out. But that does not mean we have immuned ourselves from the pain these attacks bring to our existence. It doesn't mean that as our soldiers battle for us on the bloodstained grounds of the border, and we are untouched and hypocritical to behave as if everything is normal. Nationalist emotions are bound to arise in the hearts of every Indian.
Recently I was watching a debate conducted by "Arnab Goswami" on "Ban on Pak Artists in India". True, this man is dominating, biased and even overpowering. As a debate mediator he is not suppose to take sides. However, this nature of his can be irritating and invoking anger but cannot be heart-breaking. Mita Vashisht an eminent actor, known for character acting had walked out of the debate and this drew a lot of spat on the host. While I too believe that Arnab is absolutely incorrect in his insulting and biased approach, yet I think Mita was equally disrespectful. The way she casually mentioned the martyrs and the tone in which she addressed Colonel V.N. Thapar, father of late Captain Vijayant Thapar, who had given his life for us, was unacceptable at-least to me. So Arnab well done on this account but be a judicious and unbiased mediator, afterall that is what a mediator is meant to be. ( Read this : Captain Vijayant Thapar)
The way she casually mentioned the martyrs and the tone in which she addressed Colonel V.N. Thapar, father of late Captain Vijayant Thapar, who had gave his life for us, was unacceptable at-least to me.
Then coming to the debate, I definitely think that Pakistan Artists should be banned from working in India. Not because I hate them, not because they are terrorists but just because I don't want them to take our money to their nation. A nation that is germinating terrorism. It is not that we don't empathize with fellow Pakistani citizens, we know they are also sufferers.
But enough is enough. India is an extremely liberal country. We have loved their art and given their artists respect, fame and humongous money, while celebrated actor Anupam Kher was denied of Pakistani Visa. We have protested and voiced our desperation on Peshawar Attacks, while Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and other artists from Pakistan were dumb after the Uri attacks. We didnot expect them to voice against their Nation, we wanted them to commune with the pain, the Nation that has given them so much recognition was going through. We have not banned their movies in India, while they have.
Its high time people, solidarity is expected from every citizen including Bollywood. Shed aside hypocrisy, business and understand the need of the hour. Art was, is and will be borderless, Ghulam Ali sang gazals will continue to enrich our souls, but today its not the time for that thoughts to be cuddled, it is time to stand up as an united Nation and salute the soldiers who are fighting for all of us, indifferent towards our view on Pakistani artists. Salute to their valour!!
Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta
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