Quoting Einstein, Raza says this Chaiwala’s brew is poisonous

CHANDIGARH:On writing 'Bahut Farq Hai Yeh Chaiwala', which is a comment on PM Narendra Modi, Gauhar Raza, poet and documentary filmmaker, said: "Like for 1984 riots, Congress politicians are responsible, Modi and Amit Shah are responsible for 2002 riots and couldn't be forgiven.

Gauhar Raza addresses students at Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17

On writing 'Bahut Farq Hai Yeh Chaiwala', which is a comment on PM Narendra Modi, Gauhar Raza, poet and documentary filmmaker, said: "Like for 1984 riots, Congress politicians are responsible, Modi and Amit Shah are responsible for 2002 riots and couldn't be forgiven. 'Chaiwala' reflects that anger in me...His tea is poisonous. It is mixing with society and has reached judiciary. The policemen who were behind bars for fake encounters are now sitting with them."

Raza, who is a scientist also, was in Panjab University (PU) today on the invitation of 'Purvarang', a cultural platform. He is famous for his documentary films like 'Jung-e-Azadi', on first war of Independence, and 'Inquilab', on Bhagat Singh.

Quoting theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, Raza said, "Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of masses." He added, "I was born a Muslim. I was born in Allahabad. So, I have no control and contribution in these things (religion and place). There is no need to feel pride in them. But I am patriotic about India...Kabir, Nanak, Aryabhatta were born here. I am proud of its culture which is of 'CharVak'. I call this patriotism. Hitler also talked about nationalism. It can be dangerous."

He said that he wondered why Islam was projected to be in danger in Pakistan and similarly Hinduism in India.

On Constitution

He said that dominant philosophy was saying that upper caste and lower caste; man and woman; Muslims and Hindus were not equal. "A woman is now saying that she would go and do work..She would go to a pub...She is asserting her constitutional powers."

Attacking the right-wing forces, he said, "Some think that they can murder a judge and control the nation. When a minister would become uneasy for them, they could murder him. It is responsibility of the new generation to save the constitution. They think they can buy media and create a 'Bhopu' (siren) like Arnab Goswami who could shout throughout the day."

On return of awards by artistes and writers, he said that the creative people were waking up but media was blacking them out. "They (right-wing forces) are terrorising people so that people would fall asleep. But Hitler had also failed to reduce people to an instrument. People would continue to write and 'Paash' would take birth."

"India is a beautiful experiment of democracy. It is not natural which means it could come to an end," he said.

On scientist writing poems, he quoted Newton's law of gravitation which he said challenged the existence of God. "Earlier, people used to say that without God's permission even a leaf can't shake. Newton's law of gravitation (which says every particle attracts every other particle in the Universe) is like a poem. There is no contradiction between science and creativity," he said.

On ‘Afzal Premi Gang’

In September, 2017, order of News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) asking Zee News to apologise to him and pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for running a campaign 'Afzal Premi Gang Ka Mushaira' against him, Raza said the channel didn't apologise. "They have filed an application for revision of the order of NBSA," he said.
On filing a defamation case, he said, "If you can't convince them morally, you can't do it legally. Rs 1 lakh or Rs 1 crore fine is nothing for them."