'I was never abused like I have been now. This is the nature of fascism': Kannnada writer UR Ananthamurthy
I grew up critical of Nehru and Indira. I was against the Emergency. I was criticised for that but never abused like I have been now. This is the nature of fascism. The man has the might of the corporate world behind him, and most of the media.
Jnanpith awardee and acclaimed Kannada writer Dr U R Ananthamurthy has said he will not live in a country with Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, triggering angry reactions from BJP which said he was free to leave India. As a controversy broke out over his strident anti-Modi remark, Ananthamurthy on Thursday stood his ground and said the Gujarat Chief Minister would create fear among people if he becomes Prime Minister. "I would not want to live in a country where Modi is the Prime Minister," he said at an event here recently.
..Modi is a man who has no inner life. Nehru, our first prime minister, had an abundant inner life. Sometimes that made him hesitant in dealing with a country like India, but he was lucky to have a man like Patel by his side. We have had no rule of that kind since. Even Vajpayee tried to be like Nehru. But Modi is the complete opposite. I’m sure that the 1984 Sikh riots have troubled the minds of some Congress people. I will never forgive them for the riots, but I know they pricked the conscience of some within the Congress. The 2002 riots in Gujarat have not pricked Modi’s conscience at all. It shows in his statements where he used that ‘dog getting crushed by a car’ reference. As a writer, I can tell by this imagery that this man isn’t human. He is trying to catch the media’s attention and the media is giving in. Even I, by talking about this, am giving him attention. I don’t give much value to administrative capabilities. Modi saying that he is a good administrator is like me saying I breathe normally every day. He can’t make a virtue out of that, or out of being honest and incorruptible, though I doubt if he is. One is supposed to be honest and capable to lead the people.
What has been the reaction to your comment? How would you reply to it?
I grew up critical of Nehru and Indira. I was against the Emergency. I was criticised for that but never abused like I have been now. This is the nature of fascism. The man has the might of the corporate world behind him, and most of the media. And all these admirers get worried about one remark made by literary man. After all, that’s what I am, a writer. I don’t even write in English. It shows that literature still has power. When an authoritarian personality comes to power, those who are silent now, will be even more silent. So, I don’t want to live in a world where Modi is Prime Minister.
I grew up critical of Nehru and Indira. I was against the Emergency. I was criticised for that but never abused like I have been now. This is the nature of fascism. The man has the might of the corporate world behind him, and most of the media. And all these admirers get worried about one remark made by literary man. After all, that’s what I am, a writer. I don’t even write in English. It shows that literature still has power. When an authoritarian personality comes to power, those who are silent now, will be even more silent. So, I don’t want to live in a world where Modi is Prime Minister.
What are the chances of Modi coming to power?
I am worried about his chances of coming to power, though I don’t think he will. But I am very disappointed in the way the Congress has done nothing about this, despite being a strong party with many great personalities. But I have to tell you, before theKarnataka elections, some literary personalities and I held a press conference to ask people to vote for Congress. We wanted that long BJP rule to end in the state. I personally know and admire Siddaramaiah, the current Karnataka chief minister. I may be disappointed with them, but am happy that the Congress is in power inKarnataka.
I am worried about his chances of coming to power, though I don’t think he will. But I am very disappointed in the way the Congress has done nothing about this, despite being a strong party with many great personalities. But I have to tell you, before theKarnataka elections, some literary personalities and I held a press conference to ask people to vote for Congress. We wanted that long BJP rule to end in the state. I personally know and admire Siddaramaiah, the current Karnataka chief minister. I may be disappointed with them, but am happy that the Congress is in power inKarnataka.
Do you think the country can move past the 2002 riots?
I don’t think so. I also don’t think the BJP will get enough seats in the 2014 elections. And if the Congress fails, there are other parties and personalities in the country. There is the man in Bihar, who has been managing such a backward state. In fact, for me, even Deve Gowda was not that bad. Modi, however, is very cheap in the way he publicises himself. I am suspicious of a man always so sure of himself. Unlike Gandhi or Nehru, who could handle the pluralism of this country, he has no inner conflict, no hesitation.
I don’t think so. I also don’t think the BJP will get enough seats in the 2014 elections. And if the Congress fails, there are other parties and personalities in the country. There is the man in Bihar, who has been managing such a backward state. In fact, for me, even Deve Gowda was not that bad. Modi, however, is very cheap in the way he publicises himself. I am suspicious of a man always so sure of himself. Unlike Gandhi or Nehru, who could handle the pluralism of this country, he has no inner conflict, no hesitation.
You’ve often called him a fascist. Could you elaborate on that?
An important characteristic of fascism is that it creates rumours. Such as the ones the Sangh Parivar has circulated in my case. There is a Kannada newspaper called Kannada Prabah, which has published these rumours and the ugly things people say about me. Things such as I should die. This is what happened in Hitler’s time. It’s what my PhD was on.. read more: http://www.tehelka.com/i-can-tell-from-his-imagery-modi-isnt-human/
**********An important characteristic of fascism is that it creates rumours. Such as the ones the Sangh Parivar has circulated in my case. There is a Kannada newspaper called Kannada Prabah, which has published these rumours and the ugly things people say about me. Things such as I should die. This is what happened in Hitler’s time. It’s what my PhD was on.. read more: http://www.tehelka.com/i-can-tell-from-his-imagery-modi-isnt-human/
Jnanpith awardee and acclaimed Kannada writer Dr U R Ananthamurthy has said he will not live in a country with Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister, triggering angry reactions from BJP which said he was free to leave India. As a controversy broke out over his strident anti-Modi remark, Ananthamurthy on Thursday stood his ground and said the Gujarat Chief Minister would create fear among people if he becomes Prime Minister. "I would not want to live in a country where Modi is the Prime Minister," he said at an event here recently.
Against the backdrop of vitriolic attacks against him from the BJP and its sympathisers for his remarks, Ananthamurthy said, "He (Modi) will create fear and if a fearsome man is sitting there, people will just bow down to him because a bully creates cowards." The country needs to build a citizenry who are not afraid and a governance where people do not follow a leader slavishly, he told reporters. Furious at Ananthamurthy's remarks, BJP and supporters of the BJP's prime ministerial candidate dubbed him "parasite like" alleging he swayed according to political climate, having supported Congress and JDS in the past and "currying" favours with the government of the day. BJP MP Ananthkumar Hegde and several local party leaders said he was free to leave the country.
Several writers, including Baragur Ramachandrappa and K Marulasiddappa, have come out in support of Ananthamurthy while some others such as noted scholar Dr. Chidananda Murthy flayed him. Ananthamurthy said there was dignity attached to Prime Minister's post when Pandit Nehru and Narasimha Rao assumed the charge, but this will wane away if Modi becomes PM. "We had people like Nehru who could write a book in jail --Discovery of India, a great book even today. Rao was a great scholar too. There was some dignity for the Prime Minister's post, but that dignity will go (if Modi becomes PM), he said. On BJP leaders' attacks on him, Ananthamurthy said he had been critical of Indira Gandhi and Nehru in the past but was never abused as much as the saffron party did. "If I say something and I am abused so much by a gang of people, imagine when they are in power what will happen," he said. Ananthamurthy said the BJP has always criticised him because he did not buy the RSS Hindu philosophy. "They are a fascist party and don't understand Hinduism. It is a great religion," he said. On UPA government, he said it is not anti-people but was corrupt and should be punished. "But the way out is not choosing a man like Modi," he said.
