I still don’t understand the criticism against Cockroach Janta Party. For the past 12 years, PM Modi himself has repeatedly said that the only thing missing in Indian democracy is a strong opposition. But the moment new political voices start emerging outside Congress, AAP and the usual parties, everyone suddenly feels threatened.
The entire rise of this party was triggered by public frustration after the CJI’s statement, repeated paper leaks, price hikes, unemployment and the growing disconnect between the government and ordinary citizens. Calling it a “Congress-backed” or “AAP-seeded” project just because some of they share the same ideology & their ideas of democracy somehow overlap is lazy political analysis. Having similar ideological positions does not automatically mean political ownership.
Why can’t people simply see it as a new opposition force questioning the current government?
They’re not anti-national. Supporting a satirical or alternative political movement does not make someone anti-India. And even if Gen Z is engaging with it partly as a trend, that is still counted as political participation. Democracies evolve when younger generations start questioning power structures instead of blindly worshipping them. Clearly some of you never want this whole corrupt arrangement of democracy to evolve.
What’s more concerning is the reaction. Their twitter account getting withheld in india, IT cells aggressively targeting pages, people openly saying “I lose respect for anyone who follows them” that mentality is dangerous. It basically implies that citizens are no longer allowed to hold independent political opinions unless they align with a particular party or leader.
This culture where every disagreement is labelled “anti-national” is not patriotism. It is political conditioning. A democracy cannot survive on blind loyalty alone. Governments are supposed to be questioned, criticised, and held accountable especially powerful governments with massive mandates.
And if satire itself starts threatening the system, then maybe the problem is not the satire 🙏🏻
It is most unfortunate that an unseemly controversy has arisen over the central government's denial of clearance to 19 films which were scheduled to be screened at the International Film Festival of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram.
The original list was much longer, but several clearances were obtained after my intervention with Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw at the request of @resulp, the chairman of the festival. The rest are awaiting clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs.
https://t.co/v6tP1x2AMj
The list of 19 films suggests an extraordinary degree of cinematic illiteracy on the part of the bureaucracy. To deny clearance to a classic like “Battleship Potemkin”, a 1928 film on the Russian Revolution which has been viewed by literally hundreds of millions around the world (and in India) over the last century, is laughable. Denying permission to some Palestinian films reflects bureaucratic over-cautiousness rather than the cultural breadth of vision that should be involved when it comes to world cinema.
I have urged both I&B Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and EAM @DrSJaishankar to grant expeditious clearance and avoid any further embarrassment in the eyes of the cinema lovers of Kerala, and of the world.
https://t.co/cdfPXlrvBa
More than a colleague, a brother, and an artist who has embarked on this wonderful cinematic journey for decades. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is not just for an actor, but for a true artist who has lived and breathed cinema. So happy and proud of you, Lal. You truly deserve this crown.
@Mohanlal