Bengalurean’s play on Jammu and Kashmir stopped in Jaipur

JAIPUR/BENGALURU: Chaos ruled at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur on Tuesday when local groups demanded the cancellation of the play ‘Eidgah Ke Jinnat’, directed by Bengaluru theatreperson Abhishek Majumdar and based on recent incidents in Kashmir.
The protesters alleged the play has hurt national sentiments, and filed a complaint seeking police intervention. The play was to be staged at 4.30pm Tuesday, but organisers announced its cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances.A group led by Suraj Soni of Jansamasya Niwaran Manch, along with 25 protesters, reached Kala Kendra and shouted slogans against the play. Soni said: “The play glorifies stone-throwers of Kashmir, and some dialogues are against the public and the Army. Some people who watched the first show of the play (on Monday) found many passages that could disturb communal harmony.”
Director Majumdar said, “It is yet another attack on freedom of expression. There was nothing anti-national in the play or its narrative.”
‘Trouble started after FB post and media report’
The Jaipur performance of ‘Eidgah Ke Jinnat’ was a joint production of Jawahar Kala Kendra and Bhasha Centre. Majumdar said the play was staged to a full house on Monday, during which four people walked out in the interval. “One of them wrote a post on Facebook and his friends started supporting him…. A friend of the quartet filed a report in a local newspaper the next day and ended up blowing up the issue,” he told TOI on Wednesday. “I told my team, ‘If officials do not want, then we won’t run the play.’ A few policemen came, read the script and said that there is no problem, but added there is a law-andorder situation on the story published by a newspaper. Police said they won’t take any responsibility. We decided not to stage the play,” Majumdar said.
Theatreperson Arundhati Nag said: “It is a good play. As there are fresh wounds, the impact now is different. I agree this is not the time to instigate anybody considering the nation is at risk. On the other hand, art is an expression and it should not be stopped.” Venkatesh Prasad from Samudaya troupe said the play talks about issues in Kashmir. “I have read the script. It is a highly acclaimed play.”