Govt using divisive tactics, playing vote-bank politics: Patar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 18
With words of hope, celebrated Surjit Patar begins to describe the situation of unrest created across the country as students are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Patar was in Amritsar, talking at the inaugural session of Akhar, a joint venture of Majha House with Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Akhar is dedicated to the promotion of Punjabi language and literature.
Akhar comes to city
Preeti Gill, founder of Majha House, said as a part of Akhar, which is an initiative to promote Punjabi language and literature, an event would be organised every month in city. We intend to provide a platform to our local poets and writers to share their works in Punjabi, she said. Sandeep Bhaturia, chairperson of Prabha Khaitan Foundation, said the initiative would help promote Punjabi language.
In 2015, Patar returned his Sahitya Akademi Award that he received in 1993 for his poetry anthology ‘Hanere vich sulagdi varanmala’, as a mark of protest against the ‘growing intolerance’. His poetry of resistance has become a backdrop of many student protests against the CAA and the NRC.
Patar said the government was trying to dig old graves to divert public attention from important matters. “When we should be debating and questioning them about the economy, the employment, the inaccessible health sector and education, the government is trying to create unnecessary distractions by raking up issues that are divisive in nature. This kind of vote-bank politics must be rejected and we, as collective society, should keep our focus on the relevant issues.”
In a conversation with Amy Singh, a young poet and renowned TEDx speaker, who came up with a now viral movement called ‘Daak: To Lahore with Love’, an initiative to send letters of love, harmony and hope addressed to the general post office in Lahore. As a poet, Amy uses her own poems to protest, resist and empower. “Words, verses become a powerful tool of peaceful protest. In today’s time, when we all need to rise and speak out against the divisive forces, such conversations and inspirational verses hold great significance,” she said.
While talking about his early influences, Patar said he used to extensively read Bawa Balwant’s works. “That’s where actually I found the poet in me thriving. I used to write as a child as well, but it was many years later that I began my journey as a worthy poet and poets such as Shiv Kumar Batalvi and Bawa Balwant were my inspirations.”
Patar also shared his bit about the mystery of using trees as metaphors in his poems. “I feel that a poet is a like a tree, which takes in carbon dioxide but gives back oxygen. Similarly, a poet takes in all the dark realities of life and pens down verses of hope, love and dreams. For me, trees are also symbols of growth, adaptation and an inherent strength.”
