When the Captive Speaks

Joydip Ghosal

The Captive Speaks (Birut jatio Sahitya Sammiloni) by Angshuman Kar is testimony of the bleak, despondent times the country is going through. Under the aegis of ruling dispensation unbridled hatred took the grip of the psyche of hoi polloi. Religious fanaticism coupled with violence unleashed by powers-that- be obfuscated the political spectrum. The book illustrated that despite the all pervading doom captive raised their voices. They tried to articulate their grievances knowing full well the consequences. The essays of this book delved deeper into the different aspects of politics, education and culture. The book is divided into three segments–Politics, Education and Environment.

In ‘Free Thought and Bertrand Russell and Today’s India’ the author unequivocally demonstrated how equality of opportunity of opinions had melted into thin air in today’s India. Free thoughts now faced stiff resistance. They are provided with little or no space. Those who dared enough to air their concerns found themselves in legal quagmire. Angshuman Kar clearly mentioned that one was not supposed to question what the state was tomtomming. In American academic circle there was a saying “publish or perish”. Tweaking that little the rulers took recourse to “accept or perish”. According to the author process that helped to form public opinion were nipped in the bud. Scribes were subjected to continuous harassment. There was an attempt to intimidate the press especially when those who were at the helm of affairs disapproved of their coverage of national and international events.

Citing the example of Teesta Setalvad she had brought to fore that she needed to be implicated as she had emerged as Indian face of human rights and relentless struggle against communalism. In a totalitarian state one should raise her / his voice against big brother. In that case the dissenting voice would be convicted to set an example for other dissenting voices. Angshuman Kar found striking similarity between today’s India and Orwellian State where the protagonist Winston Smith was compelled to bestow love on Big Brother who through continuous surveillance succeeded in perpetuating a reign of terror.

The author unequivocally questioned the studied silence of the BJP government on the attack on Rushdie in 2022.BJP’s stance was markedly different from its standpoint in 1988. Rushdie strongly opposed the policies pursued by the Modi Government. Few days before the attack he signed a letter along with JM Coetzee, Anne Tyler which was sent to the President of India. That letter expressed grave concerns regarding the threats to free thoughts and other inherent rights that had been building since the Hindutva fanatics took the rein of affairs.

In the article on ‘The Leicester Violence’ the author showed how response by the Indian High Commission was not mature enough to address the simmering tension between two communities after violence erupted. Relationship between the Muslims and Hindus in Indian diaspora started deteriorating after the demolition of Babri Masjid. The author presently pointed out the essay by Amina T. Mohammad which also substantiated the glaring truth. Unequivocally he stressed that conflicts between the Hindus and Muslims of Indian origin were not only detrimental for the host countries but also for India. Any partial attitude in regard to violence in Leicester could be lethal to the “prosperity of India as a nation state”.

When prime ministers of India and Australia issued joint statement after the first in–person India Australia annual summit Angshuman Kar pointed out that mindful consumption and profit- making are mutually exclusive. In Australia people erupted in protest against Adani’s Carmichael mine and rail project in Queensland. That project was framed to transport coal from the Galilee Basin to countries in Asia, including India. It faced stiff resistance from Jagalingou and Wangan people because it would destroy their habitat, ancestral lands and water. According to Mr Kar mindful consumption would not be enough to combat great derangement. The two countries must declare their stance on fossil fuels including coal.

The essays in the book provide ample scope to ponder over these matters of grave concern. As a thinking individual he picked up the gauntlet thrown by the powers-that-be to lay bare the nefarious design which many intellectuals did not want to ponder over.

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 50, June 8 - 14, 2025