Feb
10
“Billu Barber”, what do you think is defamatory in that title?
Some groups in India consider it derogatory though.
An association of hairdressers have objected to the title of the new film of SRK productions, terming the use of the word ‘barber’ “objectionable and derogatory”.[1]
Now Shahrukh Khan also agrees that the title may be derogatory for some sector of society and hence he agreed to change the title. As it would be expensive to change all the hoardings and posters advertising for the film, Shahrukh Khan proposed sending teams to put a piece of paper on the word Barber, wherever it can be done.
Thus, some association of hairdressers won the issue of censoring the word barber and announcing it as “derogatory”.
Will they try to remove the word “barber” from dictionaries too?
One may wonder what is so defamatory about the word barber, and I am sure no one will get any answer to the question, why using barber in a movie title is derogatory?
Can anyone suggest what is so derogatory about the profession of a barber, or being a barber?
Well, there is no possible answer to that. A barber earns his living honestly; it is obviously respectable and honourable. He is not looting or mooching anyone.
So how it can be derogatory?
It can be derogatory in India though, and obviously, it is unreasonable emotional tactic to keep on worthless censorship and moral policing. It is derogatory in India because Indians still live with the ghost of Caste-system, well maintained by the governmental policies of reservation and vote bank.[2]
Now just some days ago, a Muslim girl from Pakistan, who came to pursue a course in production from Whistling Woods International Institute in Mumbai, was beaten by a group of Muslim women of Mumbai because of a tattoo the girl casted on her back.[3]
Those women assaulted her over the tattoo that read ‘Shukr Alham Du Lillah’, meaning ‘Thank you, God’. They were furious about the tattoo sporting the words from Holy Quran, and they wanted to show that Indian Muslims are much more fundamentalist freak than the Pakistanis are. Thus, they terrorised the innocent girl brutally in public. They slapped her many times and abused her, and guess what?
Who apologized for that brutal incidence? Not the culprits, but the innocent victim.
The Pakistani girl, whose name is Saba, apologized and said she was not aware that tattooing something on her back would hurt anybody’s sentiment.
So, this is how freedom and justice works in India.
A girl was beaten up brutally in public, and then she was forced to apologize because she has no right to write something on her back, and the brutal criminal beaters were considered protectors of Islam, and Indian Muslim community.
Physical attack is no crime according to Indians and Indian government police, though if one hurts somebody’s religious emotions or sentiments, they will be punished.
These incidences further prove the reality, that democracy is not freedom but it is tyranny of majority.
Instead of arresting the criminals who abused and assaulted Saba, the police was more engaged in taking a written apology from the victim (Saba) and then assuring her, that no criminal case will be fired against her, now this is Victimization of the Victim.
Is not it a shame, a shame for Indians, and India?
Thus, government is for protecting the groups and gangs and assaulting the innocent individuals.
Unless the Individual liberty and sovereignty will not be established, such incidents will be repeated and re-repeated, and individual liberty and security can be established and professed only by means of property rights, and removal of the rule of majority.
India need to abolish the laws based on emotions and sentiments and to accept, profess and establish laws and regularities based on Reason and Individual Liberty.
- SRK dropped the term barber, ET News [↩]
- India in search of Freedom, Equality and Justice, Reason for Liberty [↩]
- Pak girl beaten up for sporting a tattoo in Urdu by Indian Muslim women, Mumbai Mirror [↩]
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1 viewsNo Responses to “Freedom of Speech A joke or Tyranny”
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galeo rhinus Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 6:44 ama tyranny of the majority - true…
…but then doesn’t political correctness a form of tyranny of the minority?
the way I look at it is that the issue is not democracy - but the overall political system…
The authors of the Indian constitution chose a system that was alien to India and created a hodgepodge of ideas and packed it under the name of the constitution…
Nehru’s “progressive liberals” have created an artificial sense of insecurity for anyone and everyone who considers themselves a “victim.”
This sense of false victimhood - combined with a constitution that simply abhors Indic traditions - combined with a media that is obsessed with denigrating anyone defending Indic polity - we have a rudderless political system…
…but it would be naive to think that these 24 hour news feeds are representative of the Indian experience…
…I think the reality is nowehere as miserable as we news junkies perceive… a relentless sense of calm still lies at the heart of what India continues to remain…
renegade_division Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 7:06 amLast I checked, “political correctness” wasn’t a government law.
galeo rhinus Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 7:52 am#2 renegade_division
true - yet laws - good or bad - tend to become “thought leaders” in their own right…
… once you accept the paradigm of minorityism - and laws that promote it… the government will “market” these laws… some of them can affect the psyche of the people…
…so while it is easy to say that it is the “people” who are being “politically correct” the trigger in these cases is the progressive liberal “establishment” which set forth the laws that created this mindset… don’t you think?
Unpretentious Diva Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 11:24 amWhich is democratic.
I never exhorted for political correctness.
I exhorted for reasonable laws, and denial to rules and policies based on emotions and sentiments.
Tolerance for physical assault and intolerance against the right of speech/expression, is neither politically correct, nor reasonable, it is destructive.
Anyways, The Political correctness and tolerance provides a security for the Social intolerance too, by means of freedom of speech/expression, and it provides strict intolerance for any sort of physical assault on anyone.
Poonam Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 5:10 pmWell, what we need is good law enforcement. Its no good of having laws and Constitution if we do not implement them.
If we do not enforce laws, frankly, there will be more of such incidents of moral policing and rabble ruosing over nothing. I saw SRK’s speech about ‘hurting barber community.” I thought he was mocking when he was saying that. And you never know if it was another publicity gimmick. These days publicity is garnered by all such negative issues.
Unpretentious Diva Says:
February 10th, 2009 at 5:17 pmI don’t think I will agree on it.
Constitution supports what happened with SRK. Constitution even supports punishment for Saba, as by sporting the tattoo she hurt sentiments of Islamic sect.
According to Indian constitution, naming someone’s caste can be considered derogatory and is punishable, and barbers, in india are considered a caste. Things are not as easy as you are guessing they are.
\
Constitution says no one can do anything which hurts some sects sentiments.
We need to purge constitution to better things, Indian constitution is root of almost all illness of Indian society.
galeo rhinus Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 1:24 amMore or less agree…
I haven’t read your other posts - so I don’t know if you promote anarchism or libertarianism… if it is anarchism that you believe in then a constitution is unnecessary… I disagree but I can understand the sentiment…
…if you are more of a libertarian then a constitution is at the core of libertarian ideas…
for India the transition is quite simple - a small constitution that is based on Indic principles will address the problem…
Indic kings were restrained from transgressing into commerce or knowledge… while fiscal policies were within their purview monetary policies were not… Indic kings could not and did not enforce a sovereign currency… i.e. even it the king had coins with his seal - he did not and could not limit access to other coinage…
…last year - a person was arrested in the US for using “Ron Paul Dollars” in a convenience store. Ron Paul wants to end the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on currency… Indic polity would *never* allow for the creation of any centralized banking…
India needs an Indic constitution…
kanagu Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 4:47 pm/*These incidences further prove the reality, that democracy is not freedom but it is tyranny of majority.*/
Its true.. but due to some people’s indecent behaviours we cant put the entire democracy under the sword. Our policemen or any other people who are there to safeguard the people were reluctant to take action against those people who indulges in the physical attack on others in the name of religion. The reasion they are sighting is, it will become a big law and order problem. Is some people being assaulted in the name of it, isn’t a law and order problem? They fear those guys and just playing the role of spectator.
And I don’t know why SRK has removed the name barber from his film title. For decades, if not centuries, we are calling them as barbers and I don’t know what wrong they are finding in that. Now-a-days each and every person in our country, just thinking how to get some fame by raising issues. This is not good for us.. and I think this is the drawback of our democracy…
Your web design is ver nice :)
Unpretentious Diva Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 5:02 pmThey fear those guys and just playing the role of spectator.
Yes well, some of those guys can very well be some sort of minister in next government.
Anyways, welcome to RFL.
Sanskriti Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 7:44 pmit’s sad that such incidents happen rather frequently and gain such widespread media coverage but no positive outcome seems to stem out of them. moral policing, ‘trying to save the religion’s cultures and sentiments’, all these seem to me to be a bunch load of hollow talk. i was rather amused to learn that people had a problem with the word barber. why don’t doctors have an issue as well? why not every single occupational community? some people honestly have nothing worthwhile to do in life than object on issues which don’t even garner attention much less remedy. it’s a shame really. i don’t think even my grandchildren will be able to see a nation that is free from such useless garble at this rate
Sans
gaurav Says:
February 12th, 2009 at 12:49 amOh! another set of controversy and another hoarse cry,that relives the past memoirs of that baroda university case the chandramohan one,MF hussain fiasco,jodha-akbar brawl,the kamal-khan starrer mumbai-bihari feud movie,haha ,it seems history doesn’t only repeats itself but keeps on renovating with better effects,that’s how all those collectivism has kept on pludering individual rights for century,and you know these people expect democracy and liberty,lol,The most laudatory fact is that today a billu goes there and asks for justice to him he will be called as self-obsessed,egocentric rational but all the billus will go they will force the name to change to ‘bill’,i wish bill clinton doesn’t come back with a litigation in tha case
soumya Says:
February 15th, 2009 at 4:18 amLEGAL NOTICE TO RENUKA CHOWDHURY FOR COMPARING MANGALORE TO TALIBAN
by Deepak Kamat ~ February 12th, 2009
Date: 11-02-2009
To
Mrs.Renuka Chowdhary,
Minister for Women and Child Development,
Government of India,
New Delhi.
NOTICE
Under instructions from:
i) Shri Ganesh Hosabettu, the Hon’ble Mayor of Mangalore City Corporation, Mangalore.
ii) Shri Ramesh S, s/ o Late Vasu S, Prop. Shilpa Colour Lab, Karangalpady, Mangalore- 3. (Industrialist of Mangalore)
iii) Shri Anwar Manippady, s/o MH Manippady, aged 55 years, High Point, Nanthoor, Mangalore. ( State Vice President, BJP)
iv) Mr. Melwyn Fernandes, s/o Cyprian Fernandes, Kannagudde, Kulshekhar, Mangalore-5
v) Mr.Hassan Sab, r/at Laadi, Moodabidri (President of Moodbidri Zone of ‘Yuvashakthi’)
vi) Mrs.Nalini Y.Shetty w/o Yashodar Shetty, Gurupur, Mangalore representing Sthree Shakthi Groups of Mangalore)
And several organizations and citizen groups,
I hereby issue you this notice for your immediate compliance-
1) You have issued public statement that ‘Talibanisation is happening in Mangalore’ and further that ‘Mangalore has been Talibanised’. You have further stated that ‘there is a clean communal divide in Mangalore where a Hindu girl is prevented from talking to a Muslim boy in Mangalore’.
2) Your public statement has been widely published in several print and electronic media on 7th February, 2009 and 8th February, 2009 and on subsequent dates and the same have been widely published through out the country and the whole of Mangalore city is shocked to know the imputations levelled by you against its entire population.
3) Mangalore is rich in its cultural heritage with several holy shrines of all religions. Mangaloreans are peace loving citizens. This city is famous for its educational institutions and religious tolerance. The people of Mangalore have been serving the nation in different ways and Mangaloreans are well known throughout the world for their honesty and integrity. Mangaloreans have boundless love for their motherland.
4) The words ‘Taliban’ and ‘Talibanization’ refer to terrorists and terrorist groups based in Afganisthan. To every Indian citizen, ‘Talibans’ mean anti-Indians and anti-humans. These words ‘Taliban’ and ‘Talibanisation’ represent the most abusive and degradable form of verbal assault as far as Mangaloreans are concerned. For all the people of Mangalore whether Hindus, Christians or Muslims, calling them as Talibans is totally irreligious and offending their religious feelings and beliefs. All the citizens of Mangalore, irrespective of their caste and creed, hate Talibans and Talibanism.
5) By your statements, you have thus degraded the entire community of Mangaloreans as anti-nationals by calling them as Talibans. This has offended the religious sentiments of the people of Mangalore.
6) Moreover, being a responsible Union Minister, you have acted irresponsibly by calling the citizens of Mangalore as Talibans and deliberately wounded their religious feelings.
7) From your similar repeated statements it is clear to my clients that with the evil intention of promoting enmity between different groups of people on the ground of religion and to disrupt the peace and harmony in society, you have made such statements.
Your imputations are prejudicial to national integration because Talibans are admittedly opposed to India and Talibans proclaim that they are determined to destroy this Nation. By your assertions you have questioned the faith and allegiance of the people of Mangalore to their motherland; and by dubbing them as Talibans, you have cast assertions prejudicial to national integration. Your statements that Mangaloreans are talibanised and that Hindu girls are prevented from speaking to Muslim boys in Mangalore are totally false. Isolated and stray incident cannot be generalized to call the entire population of the city as terrorists. Your public statementhas caused divide between Hindus and Muslims in Mangalore and they have started suspecting and hating each other and on account of your statement, feelings of disharmony, enmity and hatredness and illwill has arisen between Hindus and Muslims in Mangalore and thereby you have disturbed the communal harmony of the city.You have deliberately issued such statement with an intention of causing communal divide and thereby to reap political benefits.
9) On account of your statements, the people from outside Mangalore have started looking down upon my clients and Mangaloreans as Talibans. You must be aware that your statement has degraded the entire Mangalore and also adversely affected the economic progress of Mangalore.
10) As instructed by my clients, I hereby call upon you to withdraw the above referred public statement about Mangaloreans, and you are also called upon to apologize to the people of Mangalore by issuing suitable PUBLIC STATEMENT, within three days from today.
11) On your failure to comply with the demand made in this notice, necessary legal proceedings including criminal prosecution shall be launched against you at your risk as to all costs and consequences thereof.
(P.P. Hegde)
Advocate
Unpretentious Diva Says:
February 15th, 2009 at 7:54 ampeople are mad not only renuka chowdhary!
soumya Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 10:54 amSo Mangalore people are not people?
Only “loose and forward women sending underwear” are people?
renegade_division Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 11:41 amWell I don’t pile people into imaginary involuntary groups like “Mangalore people” or “Indian people”, “Hindu people”.
But if by Mangalore people you mean people who beat women for going to pubs, then yes they are people, as much as Charlse Shobraj and Osama Bin Laden are people.
And how is your life being changed by a bunch of lose women running say naked?? No offense but what if your ugliness is making my people(the good looking North Indian people) look bad? How about we kill all the ugly “South Indians”, because the good looking “north indian” people are being offended by the ugliness?
The above paragraph is just to make you see the mirror for the ugliness of your argument about piling people up in imaginary groups like “Mangalore people”, “north Indians”, “south Indians”, or “Lose and forward women”.
soumya Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 10:45 pmYou got me wrong and went off on a tangent blah blah.
You are missing the bigger picture. I meant common folks ( mostly Hindu ) who are actually suffering by Jehadi threats and missionary conversions in Mangalore. Ordinary mothers who can’t let their daughters walk freely for fear of being kidnapped and raped by Jehadis. Just go to http://www.haindavakeralam.com/ and http://greathindu.com/ to see everyday incidents and you will know what people resonate to.
Unpretentious Diva Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 11:30 pm@ Somya,
Even you are missing the point.
Renuka Chowdhary said something/anything against anybody/any city, ok she can be right, she can be wrong, let us accept she is wrong, she is just bullshiting out of her mouth. I always feel that she keep doing so every now and then.
Yet sending a legal notice and creating a havoc won’t help nor it is right.
if she said something wrong, criticize it by exposing the wrong in newspapers, debate forums or wherever possible.
if one section of media is show-casing one side of story, stage another side of story on other side of media.
That option on the site http://www.haindavakeralam.com/ is much better, send condoms to those who sent panties to Muthalik.
There is nothing wrong in such Non-violent protest. Going to court for the cause of libel is wastage of resources and it won’t help anybody.
Once a group starts staging violent ways of opposition, it becomes wrong and tyrannical, be that group of Hindutva wadis or pseudo-secularists.
I am sure there is no secularist group involved with Valentine day support. Atleast RFL has nothing to say in support of Valentine Day except, if you want to protest against Valentines day, if you want to oppose pubs, you may do it in non-violent ways without restricting market, without demanding for governmental Bans.
bans never help, nor it is proper.
renegade_division Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 11:47 pm@Soumya
Yeah so the solution of fighting “jehad” is to become Hindu Jehadis, to torture other people??
I am sorry but I just don’t buy this bullshit. I lived in Mangalore for 4 years myself. I went to pubs, restaurants, and most of that part you are talking about is bullshit.
The whole Dakshin Kannada is becoming a fort for BJP, no matter who wins or loses in rest of the Karnataka or India, BJP is getting stronger by the day in Dakshin Kannada.
If people are becoming Christians it has mostly to do with the fact that they don’t like Hinduism, and nobody is to be blamed for that more than Hindus themselves.
If Hindus don’t allow multiple marriages, and Muslims do, then people will become Muslim.
If Hindus wanna act all Talibani, keeping women away from living their lives as they want, damn right missionaries will gain more acceptance among people.
What makes Sri Ram Sena people better or holier than Taliban?? The fact that Taliban talked about keeping women at home in the name of Islam and Sri Ram Sena is doing the same in the name of Indian/Hindu Culture.
Explain me the difference, humor me. Tell me how is beating up women for going to pub in the name of culture any different from beating up women for going to school in the name of religion??