Government vs Sarkar: Don’t threaten film with sedition charges

Successive governments in Tamil Nadu have taken a jaundiced view of criticism and dissent, be it in politics, literature or art. The latest to be targeted is the just-released Sarkar, a film starring Vijay that has scenes purportedly critical of the AIADMK government’s distribution of freebies to woo the electorate. Party workers are equally incensed that the antagonist in the film goes by the name of Komalavalli – supposed to be the original name of their late beloved leader Jayalalithaa.

Cadres have been allowed to have a free run, vandalising movie halls and tearing up posters of a film that has been cleared by the censors. The state government has warned the filmmakers that some scenes in Sarkar could even attract sedition charges. Browbeaten, the producers of the film have agreed to delete the “objectionable” scenes and mute the name Komalavalli. It is a matter of shame that freedom of expression, one of the basic tenets of free democracy, is being sacrificed at the altar of intolerance. It is indeed the prerogative of an artist to give free rein to his thoughts, making political statements not excluded.

The right path would have been for the government to seek recourse in the law, rather than taking the law into its own hands and giving party workers licence to run riot, and cavalierly brandishing the threat of sedition charges. Tamil Nadu has been witnessing several instances of crackdown on free speech and expression as well as quelling of protests and dissent. At a time when society faces a growing threat of polarisation on the basis of caste, religion and ideology, a reluctance to accommodate different viewpoints can push the state dangerously down the slippery slope towards totalitarianism.