AAP will uphold free speech in Tiatr: Chitra
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 March 2016 19:04 IST
If free speech in Tiatr has to continue, then Aam Aadmi Party is the ultimate solution in Goa, feels Chitra Shirwaikar, one of the veteran Tiatrists.
She was one among the 140 women who joined the AAP Goa on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
Whether in the Congress regime or the existing regime of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Tiatrists of Goa have been facing music over freely commenting on politicians, ongoing corruption or public issues.
However, none of the governments have dared to propose a Censor Board for Tiatr, the most popular theatre form of Goa, in spite of demands from several quarters.
Shirwaikar however had little more to say about what she has been experiencing.
“I faced lot of opposition and even political intimidation when I was critical of politicians”, she told the audience.
Her decision to join AAP, she said, was because she did not want India to become a country which discourages free speech and stifles artistic expression.
Cecille Rodrigues, who shot to national fame in the Dance India Dance SuperMom competition, was another artist joining AAP.
“Though I was never interested in joining politics and always read newspaper from the last page, I was convinced that AAP is creating real role models in politics whom younger generation could follow”, she said.
The function held in Margao on 8 March witnessed several such women who otherwise were not seen on political platforms in the past.
They included medical practitioners like Dr Sonia Singanapurkar and Dr Hemali Desai while Liby Mendonca, a special educationist from Vasco was the host.
The function was organised by founder member of AAP in Goa Rajeshree Nagarsekar, a journalist-turned-politician, with Suhani Shah, celebrated life coach, illusionist, taking initiative for this function.
Indian politics is also in a way mass entertaining industry just like our tiatr. The actors in politics engage themselves in free criticism which go without censor. We have many actors like Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal, Owaisi, Lalu, Mayawati, Kanhaikumar etc who are on the forefront in this field. AAP now should appreciate if any criticism may be in prose and not in songs and "cantar" if it comes in their way . I mean give n take.
Tiatrist should also reciprocate if any criticism or joke is made on them by politicians. In politics also there are good tiatrists like Rahul Gandhi, Lalu, Kanhaiya kumar, Owaisi, Mayawati etc. They may not any sing a song or "cantar" but they are good in humour.