Kochi: The volte-face by Shashi Tharoor on the Sabarimala issue is a shameful episode that reveals the opportunism of the political class in the state, said writer Zachariah. In a conversation on Writing and Renaissance with NE Sudheer Zachariah said a person in the stature of Tharoor should not have done such a thing.
Lamenting on the superficial levels of the ongoing discourses on renaissance in the state he said for many persons the term has become a brand name for some limited purpose. It is a tragedy that the term has become one of those “humorous words” peddled by the community in social media.
In a scathing attack on the prevailing media culture in the state Zachariah said Sabarimala will become a non-issue if the media in the state stopped using the same for increasing its profits. The media played a crucial in rooting out the values renaissance from Kerala society. Politicians alone are not responsible for the present sad plight, he said, and specifically pointed out the role played by the media in projecting the antics of God-men and God-Women as great events.
Zachariah also said that the women coming out in the streets in protest against the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala cannot be construed as an advance by right wing communal forces represented by BJP. BJP is still an insignificant political force in Kerala despite the media portraying them as a major entity, he said.
The writer also made sharp critical remarks about the left parties including CPM for their double standards in political, social and cultural issues. The CPM has no qualms in providing red carpet welcome to cultural celebrities known for advocating and sharing the communal agenda of fascist forces, he pointed out.
The unholy alliance of the political class, the media and the caste and the religious entities have obliterated the modern mind of the Malayalis and reassertion of the modern mind is the biggest challenge facing the 21st century renaissance, he said.
