POLL VIOLENCE |
Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press 21 February, 2002 |
Contemplating the spate of election violence in the state, in a rather far-fetched way we are reminded of the wry dig literature Nobel laureate, VS Naipaul, took at the fatwa served on writer Salman Rushdie on account of his controversial book “Satanic Verses,” which allegedly blasphemed against prophet Mahammed. On being asked to comment on the plight of Rushdie, (whom he dismissively said he has heard of), he had quipped that a fatwa is also an extreme form of literary criticism. We need somewhat a parallel in the manner in which many underground organizations disowned all interest in the Indian elections, but all the same want to make sure no candidate they do not favor, win. If allegations are anything to go by, perhaps they are propping up candidates of their choices. In then same vein that Naipaul satirized the fatwa on Rushdie, perhaps we can deduce from our own circumstances that the underground organizations that proclaimed their lack of interest in the Indian elections are indeed very keenly following it and even trying to manipulate its results. As Shakespeare observed, “The lady doth protest too much.” And when the lady doth protest too much, she may harbour just the opposite feelings of her open protest towards the object of her protest.
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