Book Review
Title: Azadi: Freedom, Fascism, Fiction
Author:
Arundhati Roy
Publisher:
Penguin, 2020
Pages: 243,
Price: Rs499
Arundhati Roy is a
personification of intellectual acumen coupled with moral indignation. She
belongs to the realm of rebellious angels. Her writings show us clearly the
truth as she sees (and she sees more clearly than most ordinary people) and
also make us feel what she feels provided we are on the side of ugly truths.
Her writings can also create more enemies of whom she has already gathered too
many around her.
Azadi
is a collection of nine essays most of which were originally lectures delivered
to diverse foreign audiences in the period of 2018-2020. The themes of these
essays are indicated in the subtitle of the book: freedom, fascism, fiction.
Roy deals with the particular variety of fascism that is being practised in Modi’s
India which gives too much freedom to one section of citizens and denies even the
freedom to exist to others. Fiction becomes the only valid way of understanding
a reality of this sort which is considered sacrosanct by the majority while it
decimates a few million people slowly and not so slowly.
The issues raised in the book
are not new. We are familiar with them all: fascism and certain Modi-created
demons such as demonetisation, empty slogans like ‘Make in India’, degradation
of universities and institutions, decimation of the agriculture sector,
lynching, and projection of genuine Dalit problems as sheer Naxalism. Kashmir is a recurrent theme. RSS and its
multi-faced demons come and go. Fiction, particularly Roy’s recent novel The
Ministry of Utmost Happiness, holds all these together like a magic
fabric the patterns on which keep changing as we move from one essay to the
next showing us new realities and new meanings.
Modi’s India does not want
non-Hindus. That has been made clear enough by the various thuggish
organisations affiliated to the RSS. Muslims are the primary targets. Right
from the 2002 Gujarat riots to the recent Citizenship Amendment Act, too many
things have been perpetrated by Modi and his henchmen to alienate the Muslim
population in the country.
Even before Modi, independent India
has always been “an upper-caste Hindu state”. But pre-Modi, India had a hypocritical
secularism which is what actually “made India possible” [emphasis in
original]. “That hypocrisy was the best thing we had,” says Roy. “Without it,
India will end.”
This book shows how Modi and
his protean army are putting an end to India. Modi wants to make India “One
nation, one religion, one language.” It is a chimera that can’t be achieved
without a shocking lot of bloodshed as well as surreptitious methods (which are
all in practice now).
Democracy has been strangled
for all practical purposes by Modi who behaves precisely like a dictator. Those
who question him too much are done away with one way or another. Those who
support him can not only get away with rape and murder, assault and lynching,
but also get rewarded for their devilish loyalty. In Roy’s words, “Lynchers,
and others accused in hate crimes, including mass murder, have been rewarded
with public office and honoured by ministers in Modi’s cabinet.”
One of the most diabolically
effective tactics employed by Modi is the fake news industry which is “corporatized,
Bollywoodized, televised, Twitterized, atomized, weaponized, WhatsAppized, and
is disseminating its product at the speed of light.” India is a living lie
under Modi. Modi has converted 1.3 billion people into walking frauds.
There are a few out of those
billions who refuse to swallow the fake patriotism shovelled down their throats
by a demoniac leader. They still dare to speak the truth. “It’s a battle of
those who know how to think against those who know how to hate,” says Roy. “A
battle of lovers against haters. It’s an unequal battle, because the love is on
the street and vulnerable. The hate is on the street, too, but it is armed to
the teeth, and protected by all the machinery of the state.”
This is the ultimate tragedy
of any nation: hate reigning supreme pretending to be sacred nationalism. Roy’s
book exposes this demon that has taken charge of India.
Why does this keep tellin' me that I should get out of this country asap?
ReplyDeleteAren't you asking the question wrongly. I think it should be "how" instead of 'why'. How should I get out asap?
DeleteThat's a great review Tomichan,
ReplyDeleteLook forward to read the book for sure.
Glad I motivated you to read the book. I am a fan of Roy's intensity of expression.
DeleteI see so many parallels between India & US these days. Sad ones! Odd times.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the documentation was nicely done.
India and US both have narcissistic premiers.
DeleteInteresting review- Looks like a hard hitting book!
ReplyDeleteIt is. Arundhati Roy does hit hard.
Delete