Military suicides, Indian passports and Pakistani TV serials

Saturday 23 July 2022 In My Opinion   By Rama Lakshmi, Opinion Editor

In a week when Nupur Sharma got protection from arrest and Mohammed Zubair got bail, the debate swung back to the dangerous politics of hurt sentiments. Scholar Hilal Ahmed wrote that the so-called faith-art binary in free speech debates is highly misleading. He asked: What is the mechanism by which a book, painting, poster, film, or even an old useless newspaper, is transformed into an object of religious concern? How is a discourse of ‘hurt sentiments’ produced and sustained? And finally, who are the actors that claim to represent the sentiments of a particular group? The Udaipur anti-blasphemy killing shows that this campaign in India isn’t being led by clerics manipulating religious passion to gain political power, or madrasa-educated fanatics with ties to right-wing organisations or training camps in Pakistan. They’re the products of an increasingly fraught communal relationship, wrote Praveen Swami. A disturbing statistic was released this week. There have been 819 suicides—642 in the Army, 29 in the Navy and 148 in the Air Force—in the last five years. Kargil veteran Ashok Kumar gave suggestions on how to make psychological evaluations part of the recruitment and mid-career processes. Successful Indians are giving up their Indian passport. Columnist Dilip Mandal asked why the ‘secession of the successful’ is taking place at a time when India is entering the ‘Amrit Kaal’. Is Imran Khan bouncing back in Pakistan? This week’s by-election shows that there is still some game left in his politics. Scholar Ayesha Siddiqa wrote that three ISPR-produced TV serials can help you understand the military mind. Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film Ponniyin Selvan: I is celebrating the “Golden Age for Tamils”, which is part of a decades-long attempt to reclaim the medieval Chola dynasty as icons of muscular nationalism. But historian Anirudh Kanisetti wrote that the evidence shows us that the Chola empire was no different from any of its contemporaries in the degree of brutality.   Satanic Verses to Kaali—religion-arts binary isn’t real. Hurt sentiments staged in 3 ways Each case has its own performance trajectory, but there's a broad apparatus that provides a background for the dramatisation and execution of such politics. Read more... By Hilal Ahmed   Not madrasas, not Pakistan terror camps, India’s blasphemy killers are products of toxic hate Anti-blasphemy campaign in India isn’t being led by clerics. And accused in Udaipur and Amravati killings didn't have any religious education or ties to right-wing organisations. Read more... By Praveen Swami   Not Pakistan or China, India needs a ‘surgical strike’ on a new threat—military suicide Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said there had been 819 military suicides over the last five years. India's losing its most important asset. Read more... By Ashok Kumar   Rich Indians turn secessionist, giving up citizenship. ‘Nationalism’ poor man’s burden There are some obvious explanations for the rich and endowed Indians, who benefit the most from Indian democracy, leaving their own country. Read more... By Dilip Mandal   Understanding Pakistan by-elections and Imran Khan win in three TV serials Alpha Bravo Charlie, Ehde Wafa, and Sinfe Ahan provided an insight into the army’s visualisation of politics. Khan is the one who replaces the 'evil' leader. Read more... By Ayesha Siddiqa   Chola period wasn’t golden age of Tamils. Modern obsession with their glory is misplaced Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan is another attempt to reclaim the medieval Chola dynasty as icons of muscular nationalism. Read more... By Anirudh Kanisetti   Read more of ThePrintOpinion here. You are receiving this because you are a reader of ThePrint and posted a comment or signed up to receive this newsletter. We appreciate your feedback. Follow ThePrint

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