Intolerance brigade drops its garb, 700 theatre artists including Naseeruddin Shah, Amol Palekar urge citizens to vote against BJP

Around 700 theatre personalities have signed a letter asking people to "vote BJP and its allies" out of power, arguing that the idea of India and its constitution are under threat. The letter was issued on 'Artist Unite India website' on Thursday evening in 12 different languages namely:

1. English
2. Hindi
3. Tamil
4. Bengali
5. Marathi
6. Malayalam
7. Kannada
8. Assamese
9. Telugu
10. Punjabi
11. Konkani
12. Urdu 

The letter, along with the names of the signatories, states that the said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are the "most critical in the history" of the country. 

Among those who have signed the letter are Shanta Gokhale, Mahesh Elkunchwar, Mahesh Dattani, Arundhati Nag, Kirti Jain, Abhishek Majumdar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Lillete Dubey, Mita Vashisth, M K Raina, Makarand Deshpande and Anurag Kashyap.

The 'appeal to fellow citizens' starts off with the point that 'Indian theatre-makers in India have a long and proud tradition of standing against forces of religious sectarianism, chauvinism, narrowness and irrationality'

Since colonial times, Indian theatre-makers have celebrated India's diversity through their work. We have done plays as part of the freedom struggle, we have taken on social ills through our art, we have stood for social equity and inclusion, we have struck a blow at patriarchy, Brahmanism and caste oppression. Theatre makers in India have a long and proud tradition of standing against forces of religious sectarianism, chauvinism, narrowness and irrationality. We have spoken from the margins, we have spoken of the margins. With song and dance, with humour and pathos, with compelling human stories, we have, for over a hundred and fifty years, imagined a secular, democratic, inclusive and just India.

It further reads that "the very Idea of India and our beloved Constitution is under threat". The government has "suffocated" the institutions where argument, debate, and dissent were nurtured. Making an appeal to STOP hatred, the letter reads:  

Today, that very idea of India is under threat. Today, song, dance, laughter is under threat. Today, our beloved Constitution is under threat. The institutions that have to nurture argument, debate and dissent have been suffocated. To question, to call out lies, to speak the truth, is branded ‘anti-national’. The seeds of hatred have entered our food, prayers and festivals. The ways in which this hatred has seeped into our daily fabric are alarming and it has to STOP.

Even though the letter does not refer to the prime minister by name, in an apparent reference to him the letter stated that he has destroyed the lives of many people through his government's policies and has failed on the promises he made.

The coming elections are without doubt the most critical in the history of independent India. A democracy must empower its weakest, its most marginalised. A democracy cannot function without questioning, debate, and a vibrant opposition. All this is being concertedly eroded by the current government. The BJP, which came to power five years ago with the promise of development, has given free rein to Hindutva goons to indulge in the politics of hate and violence. The man who was portrayed as the saviour of the nation five years ago has destroyed the livelihoods of millions through his policies. He promised to bring back black money; instead, rogues have looted the country and run away. The wealth of the rich has grown astronomically, while the poor have become even poorer.

They appealed to citizens to help safeguard the Constitution, India’s “syncretic, secular ethos” and to vote to “defeat the forces of darkness and barbarism”.

We, theatre practitioners of India, appeal to the people of India to help safeguard the Constitution and our syncretic, secular ethos. We appeal to our fellow citizens to vote for love and compassion, for equality and social justice, and to defeat the forces of darkness and barbarism. Our appeal – vote bigotry, hatred, and apathy out of power. Vote against the BJP and its allies. Vote to empower the weakest, protect liberty, protect the environment, and foster scientific thinking. Vote for secular democratic, inclusive India. Vote for the freedom to dream. Vote wisely.

Given below is the names of the signatories: