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Bombay: Police interrupt screening of Sanjay Kak's
Ranjit Hoskote, Saturday, July 28, 2007 |
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write to bring to your notice yet another violation of the freedom of
expression inindia. On Friday, 27 July 2007, a posse of policemen
attached to the Dadar police station in Bombay broke into a private
screening of Sanjay Kak's documentary, 'Jashn-e-Azaadi', and
confiscated the DVD. The screening, which was hosted by the Vikalp
group of independent filmmakers, was intended to bring to a Bombay
audience an eloquent cinematic argument for dialogue beyond anguish and
antagonism; for an understanding of the 'Kashmir issue' in human and
cultural terms. Kak's 'Jashn-e-Azaadi' dwells on the experience of the
Kashmiri people during the protracted period of strife they have
suffered -- with equal elements of militancy, State repression,
criminal violence, and a struggle for self-articulation. According to
the Bombay police, it contains "scenes of a provocative nature". To
disrupt the screening of such a documentary is only to re-enact the
brutality that has become the tragic norm in the Valley. We strongly
deplore this violation of the right ofindian citizens to examine,
express and discuss questions of great public importance, without
falling in line with the official view on these questions. Such
high-handedness cuts at the very root of democracy. Please forward this
email to all.
Ranjit Hoskote
Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
THE PEN ALL-images CENTRE Drishti Media,Arts & Human Rights
Ahmedabad. |
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