'A Reaction To Every Action'

Full transcript of BBC Hindi Special Programme, Aapki Baat BBC KeSaath with the minorities affairs minister on the latest cartoon controversyand the issue of death threats and awards.

Nagendar Sharma: In a democratic country like India, is it correct to issue deaththreats and whip up communal frenzy and passion in the name of protests against Danishcartoons depicting Prophet Mohammad?

A.R. Antulay: Well, Denmark is also a democratic country. Nobody can saythat a dictatorship prevails there. If that country could give freedom tocommit an act which has hurt the religious feelings of Muslims throughout theworld, then that country should be ready to face protests also. A reaction can onlybe there in response to an action. First of all, we should look atthe reason why all this started. Unfortunately, these cartoons and thecartoonist have given a bad name to Denmark throughout the world, and, in my view,all this was unnecessary.

Question from UP: Can anything be done in the name of freedom of speechand expression? Does this freedom give a licence to mock the religious feelingsof others? Where does the limit of this freedom end?

A.R. Antulay: Your way of thinking and expressingcannot be made so irresponsible that they begin to hurt the feelings of others. Thelimit of your freedom of expression ends when you begin to hurt thereligious feelings of others. Whatever that cartoonist has done cannot bepardoned as feelings of Muslims all over the world have been badly hurt. Thegovernment ofDenmark must take action on this, and the Indian government has already taken up thematter with the Danish government.

Question from Rajasthan: Sir, while the Indian government appears to beserious on the cartoons issue, why is it not showing the same kind ofseriousness in the matter of an Indian artist who has been regularly hurting thereligious feelings of Hindus by depicting our deities? Is it not a clear case ofMuslim appeasement?

A.R. Antulay: We are against hurting the religious feelings of any community, beit Hindu, Muslim or Christian. Let me take the name, since you are talking about MF Hussain. If any of his paintings has hurt our Hindu brothers, then he hascommitted a big mistake, he should not have done that. However, if I remembercorrectly, Hussain has apologised for this, and, in my view, after a public apology,the matter should end. That is why you cannot equate Hussain’s work with thatof Danish cartoonists, as the cartoonist has not apologised so far.

Question from Ghaziabad: If Uma Bharti can be sent to jail forhoisting the flag at Hubli and Advani could face a trial in Babri Masjid case,why should the UP minister Haji Yaqoob Qureshi not be booked for inciting crowds on thecartoons issue? Why is the Centre silent on his statements? After all it is theIndian Constitution which prevails in the country and not the Islamic law?

A.R. Antulay: I think your comparative argument is not correct. However, in yourview if you think that there have been double standards in dealing withdifferent sets of people, then for your grievance redressal you are free toapproach the court. You can file a public interest litigation in either the HighCourt or the Supreme Court. Before pointing a finger, one should see what are wedoing ourselves as responsible citizens.

Nagendar Sharma: But, Mr Antulay, if we are assuming that the publishing of cartoonswas wrong, then we should also in the same vein admit that the language used byUttar Pradesh Minister Haji Yaqoob Qureshi was certainly wrong. Two wrongs donot make a right, do they?

A.R. Antulay: There is a reaction to every action. If the action taken, inthis case the publishing of cartoons, was wrong, then the reaction would dependfrom individual to individual and also on the attitude of the individual.Everyone wants to show how hurt they are. Now about the reaction, in terms of speech,first of all it should be seen how this all started. What was the need topublish and circulate such cartoons and start a chain reaction of protests inthe world? So first of all, action should be taken against those who initiatedthe cartoons and then let us talk about the reactions.

Question from UP : What is the reaction of the central government tothe Best bakery case judgement and what happened to the election promise ofCongress party that it would ensure justice for Gujarat riot victims?

A.R. Antulay: I welcome the judgment and congratulate Ms Teesta Setalwad.She fought this big battle as a one woman army. She has done the people ofIndia, particularly the women of the country, proud by her relentless battle. Teestaji hasenhanced the prestige of Indian women in the world, the way she waged this struggle.This judgement has helped in restoring the faith of Indian public, not onlyMuslims, in the judiciary. Previous judgements in this case had led to largescale disappointment among the law abiding citizens of the country, andapprehensions were being expressed about the judicial system as well. I thinkTeesta Setalwad has done a favour to the country’s judiciary too. Congress party is sincere and committed to its electoral promises. Thereshould be no scope for doubt in this. The government is elected for five years, andall promises cannot be completed in a year’s time.

Nagendar Sharma: But at the moment there seem to be no concrete indications that theUPA government is serious in combating communalism, despite this having been oneof the major electoral planks of both Congress and the Left parties.

A.R. Antulay: Within a year and a half of coming to power, the UPAgovernment has set up a separate ministry for minorities welfare. This hashappened for the first time in our country. Pervious governments did not thinkabout it or, even if they thought about it, they could not muster the courage toset-up a separate ministry. This should be treated as the first step in the direction of restoration oftrust among the minorities. Not only for Muslims of Gujarat, be it in any part ofthe country. I am talking of minorities as a whole -- for example Hindus are aminority in J&K, Punjab and many parts of the North East, and  so arethe Christians. I meanwhichever minorities are there ... In my view Jains are also a minority. If need be, we would issue a notification giving them minoritiesstatus. We are committed to provide justice to any minority community and the creationof this ministry would act as a single window with a clear perspective forjustice and to remove all hurdles.