Open letter to the Guardian: Artists, filmmakers, intellectuals slam Modi

In a open letter to the Guardian, several artists, filmmakers and thinkers expressed their concern over BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi winning the election. [caption id=“attachment_1476339” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Narendra Modi. AFP[/caption] The short letter which was carried in the Guardian’s “Comment is free” section, signatories talk of the lack of how Modi has not apologised or shown any remorse for the 2002 Gujarat riots. The full text of the letter is reproduced below: “Without questioning the validity of India’s democratic election process, it is crucial to remember the role played by the Modi government in the horrifying events that took place in Gujarat in 2002. The Muslim minority were overwhelmingly the victims of pillage, murder and terror, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,000 men, women and children. Women, in particular, were subjected to brutal acts of violence and were left largely unprotected by the security forces. Although some members of Narendra Modi’s government are now facing trial, Modi himself repeatedly refuses to accept any responsibility or to render an apology. Such a failure of moral character and political ethics on the part of Modi is incompatible with India’s secular constitution, which, in advance of many constitutions across the world, is founded on pluralist principles and seeks fair and full representation for minorities. Were he to be elected prime minister, it would bode ill for India’s future as a country that cherishes the ideals of inclusion and protection for all its peoples and communities.” Signed: Anish Kapoor (artist), Homi K Bhabha (professor of the humanities, Harvard University), Salman Rushdie (novelist), Deepa Mehta (film director), Dayanita Singh (artist), Vivan Sundaram (artist), Dame Helena Kennedy (barrister), Imran Khan (solicitor), Mike Wood (British Member of Parliament), John McDonnell (British Member of Parliament), Fiona Mactaggart (British Member of Parliament), Jacqueline Bhabha (director of research), François-Xavier (Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University), Kumar Shahani (film director), Geeta Kapur (art historian), Pragna Patel (director of the Southall Black Sisters), Sashi Kumar (film producer), Jayati Ghosh (economist), Prabhat Patnaik (economist), MK Raina (actor/film director), Ram Rahman (artist), Saeed Mirza (screenwriter), Anuradha Kapur (National School of Drama in Delhi), Kumkum Sangari (professor of English and the humanities, University of Wisconsin), Gautam Appa (emeritus professor, London School of Economics), Chetan Bhatt (professor of sociology, London School of Economics), Suresh Grover (director, Southall Monitoring Group)