In a recent parliamentary session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the suppression of 'Freedom of Speech' faced by the film industry during periods of Congress governance. During the discussion on the budget session's fifth day, Modi highlighted attempts to muzzle the voices of film industry personalities. He reminded everyone how eminent personalities like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Dev Anand, and Balraj Sahni endured restrictions.
This is not an isolated instance where PM Modi discusses these historical incidents. In 2022, while deliberating on the Constitution and freedom of expression, these events were mentioned again. Let's delve into the details shared by PM Modi about the occurrences faced by film artists...
Source: aajtak
What Did Prime Minister Modi Reveal?
PM Modi accused the Congress of trampling on the 'spirit of the Constitution' soon after independence. He mentioned, 'Nehru was the Prime Minister, and during one of the first strikes in Mumbai, Majrooh Sultanpuri sang a poem criticizing Commonwealth ties. As a result, Nehru sent him to jail. Similarly, Balraj Sahni was imprisoned for partaking in a procession. Hridyanath Mangeshkar, upon planning to broadcast a poem on Savarkar, was ousted from AIR. Even during the Emergency, when Dev Anand didn’t support it, his films were banned.'
Why Was Majrooh Sultanpuri Arrested?
Majrooh Sultanpuri, a noted lyricist, was a member of the Progressive Writers Movement, opposing British rule and supporting socialist and communist ideologies. His political views often seeped into his work.
Source: aajtak
The book 'Majrooh Sultanpuri' by Mank Premchand details the incident when Majrooh was arrested. During a 1949 Mumbai worker's movement, he recited a poem against Nehru's decision to join the Commonwealth.
Some lines of the poem were:
'The flag of peace flutter not on earth, who said? This too is a disciple of Hitler, strike comrades, don’t let him be! Nehrusubservient to Commonwealth, strike, comrades, don’t let them be!'
The state issued an arrest warrant, leading Majrooh to go underground until his capture in 1951. Though asked to apologize for release by the then Bombay home minister Morarji Desai, Majrooh steadfastly refused. Interestingly, while one Congress government arrested him for speaking against Nehru, another honored him with the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1993.
What Happened to Balraj Sahni?
The book also chronicles the arrest of Balraj Sahni, revered in Hindi cinema. Allegations claimed his detention was based on inciting violence during a Communist Party demonstration.
Source: aajtak
Balraj Sahni spent six months in jail. Upon release, he wrote feeling abandoned by the IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) and besieged by police threats, who sought to make him an informant.
Impact on Dev Anand During Emergency?
Dev Anand, an icon of Hindi cinema, wrote in his memoir 'Romancing with Life' about realizing the government's program with Dilip Kumar in Delhi was meant to promote Sanjay Gandhi. They aimed to garner praise from film figures to support the program, which Anand refused.
Source: aajtak
Recollecting the incident, Dev Anand stated, 'Dilip hesitated to participate, and I directly opposed it. Consequently, all my films were banned from TV screenings, and official media mentions were prohibited. During a conversation with Minister V. C. Shukla regarding this, I was asked to speak in their favor.'
Post-emergency, Dev Anand supported the Janata Party but founded his own National Party when promises weren’t delivered. The party, however, dissolved within months.
What Happened to Lata Mangeshkar’s Brother?
In 2022, PM Modi narrated in parliament how Hridyanath Mangeshkar, brother of India’s melody queen, was fired from AIR for a poem presentation.
Source: aajtak
Accusing the Congress government, Modi remarked, 'Hridyanath in an interview shared his conversation with Savarkar ——"Would you like to go to jail for reading my poem?" Yet, after he read it, his service at AIR was terminated within eight days.'
