NEW DELHI: Call it neoliberalism, and the antecedents are suiting the BJP’s nationalist agenda to a tee. The government will observe the birth centenary of famed ghazal singer Begum Akhtar and centenary of the Komagata Maru incident with year-long events.
The ruling NDA, which is trying to occupy the culture space hitherto dominated by the liberals and the left, is even adopting those who were ignored by the UPA.
The Ministry of Culture, the nodal ministry for celebrating centenaries, will showcase Akhtar’s versatility in ghazal, dadra and thumri through various programmes, starting October 7. She was born the same day in 1914.
The ministry will also hold special functions to mark the 100 years of the Komagata Maru incident. The Japanese steamship that sailed in 1914 to Canada carrying 376 passengers from Punjab was disallowed to anchor in that country. It was forced to return to India after only 24 passengers were admitted into Canada.
The tragic episode—triggered by exclusion laws of Canada and the US designed to keep out immigrants of only Asian origin—where many of the Indians, mostly Sikhs, were killed also led to resurgence of pro-Independence sentiment in the country, and Indians living abroad. The ship episode also gave a fillip to the Ghadar movement. The centenary will be observed from September 29 this year to September 29, 2015.
Apart from these two contraries, the government will also go ahead with the planned celebration of the 125th birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, from November 14 till the same date next year. These celebrations were planned during the UPA regime.
The culture ministry funds programmes for commemorating the legacy of the important historical figures and events. “Salient aspects of the life and times of important personalities and events in the history of India are highlighted in order to infuse in the public, particularly the young, the spirit of these great leaders and others,” the ministry document said detailing the celebrations.
The saffron sentinels of the new dispensation are on a culture roll.