Smriti Irani, union HRD minister gave a spirited defence of her government’s recent actions at the Hyderabad Central University and New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) row. In an attempt to defend the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s heavy-handed response to protests at JNU, minister Irani listed out a number of “anti-national” statements that were made by students earlier this year and in the past. In her speech at Lok Sabha, Irani also made mention of “Mahishasura Martyrdom Day” from a handout issued on Oct. 04, 2014, which was purportedly observed by scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, other backward caste and minority students of JNU. “And may my god forgive me for reading this,” HRD minister said, before reading out from the pamphlet. “Durga Puja”-a major celebration in eastern India- “is the most controversial racial festival, where goddess Durga is depicted brutally killing a dark-skinned native called Mahishasura,” Irani read out. “Mahishasura, a brave self-respecting leader, tricked into marriage by Aryans. They hired a sex worker called Durga, who enticed Mahishasura into marriage and killed him after nine nights of honeymooning, during sleep.”
“Freedom of speech, ladies and gentlemen,” Irani declared after reading out the pamphlet, “Who wants to have this discussion in the streets of Kolkata? I want to know.”“What is this depraved mentality?” she asked. “I have no answers for it.” Without doubt, the version of Durga Puja that so disturbed Irani is not the mainstream narrative of the festival, which typically marks the goddess’s return to her ancestral home. It is also a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, depicted by Durga’s slaying of the dark-skinned, buffalo-riding demon, Mahishasura.
But this isn’t the only version.
The “depraved mentality” that Irani so vociferously railed against in parliament actually has a place in the traditions of eastern India’s Asur tribe, for whom the festival has a very different connotation.
Smriti Irani, union HRD minister gave a spirited defence of her government’s recent actions at the Hyderabad Central University and New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) row. In an attempt to defend the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s heavy-handed response to protests at JNU, minister Irani listed out a number of “anti-national” statements that were made by students earlier this year and in the past. In her speech at Lok Sabha, Irani also made mention of “Mahishasura Martyrdom Day” from a handout issued on Oct. 04, 2014, which was purportedly observed by scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, other backward caste and minority students of JNU. “And may my god forgive me for reading this,” HRD minister said, before reading out from the pamphlet. “Durga Puja”-a major celebration in eastern India- “is the most controversial racial festival, where goddess Durga is depicted brutally killing a dark-skinned native called Mahishasura,” Irani read out. “Mahishasura, a brave self-respecting leader, tricked into marriage by Aryans. They hired a sex worker called Durga, who enticed Mahishasura into marriage and killed him after nine nights of honeymooning, during sleep.”
“Freedom of speech, ladies and gentlemen,” Irani declared after reading out the pamphlet, “Who wants to have this discussion in the streets of Kolkata? I want to know.”“What is this depraved mentality?” she asked. “I have no answers for it.” Without doubt, the version of Durga Puja that so disturbed Irani is not the mainstream narrative of the festival, which typically marks the goddess’s return to her ancestral home. It is also a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, depicted by Durga’s slaying of the dark-skinned, buffalo-riding demon, Mahishasura.
But this isn’t the only version.
The “depraved mentality” that Irani so vociferously railed against in parliament actually has a place in the traditions of eastern India’s Asur tribe, for whom the festival has a very different connotation.
