Swadesh Misra | | Published 03.05.21, 03:09 AM
A music video released on April 3 by some of the city’s young musicians urged voters of Bengal to be “hushiyar (beware)” because the seeds of hatred being sown ahead of the elections could have telling consequences for a long time. Swadesh Misra, a city-based writer, wrote the lyrics and the song was sung by the band Fiddler’s Green. Mishra and Samantak Sinha, the vocalist of the band, share their experiences of being part of the battle against majoritarianism.
Advertisement
As an Indian citizen and an artist, I have never been able to support the activities of the BJP.
A song by some of the city’s young musicians that was released on Saturday urged voters of Bengal to be “
hushiyar (beware)” because the seeds of hatred being sown now, ahead of the elections, could have telling consequences for a long time.
The song begins with the call to remain alert. “
Dike dike hao hushiyar rakhte matha uchu/Khal kete kumir ghor e ashche pichu pichu (Watch out! Beware! Stay alert, if you want to hold your head up high/The crocodile has crept into your home, he’s caught you in his eye).”
Advertisement
It goes on: “
Bechu babu dangabaji dhandabaji r bhar/Dhorme jaat e loriye diye desh kore chharkhar (Master conman, champion scamster, rioting and hate is his art/Starting fights on caste and religion he tears the nation apart).”
A clutch of social organisations that had protested against the new citizenship matrix and supported the poor when a sudden lockdown was forced on them has launched a campaign called No Vote to BJP.
The campaign has reached various districts, organising meetings, performing skits, distributing pamphlets and putting up posters with one clarion call “vote any party you want but the BJP”.
On Saturday, the people behind the campaign released a 103-second Bengali video that shows people of various ages, from varied backgrounds and in diverse clothes dancing to a peppy track that explains the “perils” of voting the BJP.
How bad was lockdown really? Over that past year I’m sure many of us, whether we meant to or not, have sat confined in our homes grumbling away with unwavering exasperation about the ruinous impact Covid-19 has had on our year. Others have generated a peaceful time for reflection and growth. But, for too long we have striven with shallow assiduity to dowse the pandemic in black and white paint. Complaining that we can’t go to that concert, we can’t go shopping, we can’t go to work, we can’t go to school, or, we simply take it upon ourselves to revel in a soothing period of relaxation. For many, this validates the privileged position we are in.