Hema Malini alleges ‘cultural fascism’ in West Bengal, writes to Om Birla
In her letter, Malini cites recent incident on March 15, when a planned Draupadi dance drama performance at Kolkata’s Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium was abruptly cancelled at last minute
BJP MP from Mathura Hema Malini has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, flagging what she calls “cultural fascism” in West Bengal. She alleged that repeated disruptions to cultural events are hurting artists and threatening their livelihoods.
In her letter, Malini cited a recent incident on March 15, when a planned Draupadi dance drama performance at Kolkata’s Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium was abruptly cancelled at the last minute.
According to her, organisers were given “shifting and inconsistent reasons,” including logistical constraints and references to an Election Commission press conference.
She also pointed to another instance where permission to use Science City Hall was denied on the grounds that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was scheduled to be in the city. Malini claimed that no official programme of the Prime Minister was actually planned at the venue, calling the justification “misleading.”
The veteran actor-turned-politician alleged that such incidents are not isolated, but part of a “consistent pattern” over the years in West Bengal, where permissions for cultural programmes are delayed or denied at the eleventh hour. She said this creates uncertainty for organisers and financial distress for performers, many of whom rely on such events for their livelihood.
Raising security concerns, Malini further stated that performing in the state has become increasingly “apprehensive” over the past eight to nine years due to inadequate safety assurances for artists and crew members.
Calling the situation “unfortunate and unacceptable,” she emphasised, " I have had the privilege of performing across India for decades. These programmes are entirely cultural in nature. They are non-political and intended solely to celebrate our shared heritage. Culture, by its very essence, must unite us. In several of my programmes, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, MPs and MLAs across party lines have come. Their words of appreciation have only inspired us all to do even better".
“If I, as a five-time Member of Parliament, feel insecurity and helplessness, one can only imagine the plight of countless other artists,” she wrote.
Malini urged that cultural spaces should be kept free from political interference, stressing that while political contestation is natural in a democracy, preserving cultural heritage should remain a unifying endeavour.
