The recent controversy surrounding TM Krishna made me ponder: Is there a rise in intolerance in India, or are Hindus simply becoming more vocal about disrespect toward their culture and religion?
Nirmalyam, a Malayalam movie released in 1973, showed a man spitting on the idol of a goddess. There was no controversy back then. Maybe Hindus took offence but they endured the insult. No one can dare imagine releasing a movie with such a scene now. Some might call it the death of art, but is the survival of art dependent on humiliating Hindu religious beliefs? How often do you see an Indian artist scrutinizing other religions? If we’re going to engage in this game, let’s do so fairly. Selective activism is no longer accepted or praised.
Times have changed. Hindus are no longer silent. They are defending their religion. So does this mean Hindus have become intolerant? Or does this mean they have finally found their voice under the leadership of Modi after decades of suppression? It’s a matter of perspective, but one thing is certain: Criticizing Hinduism in India now comes with greater scrutiny and potential consequences. It’s no longer forgiven as easily as before.
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Tweet courtesy: @dushyanthsridar / X
The Monkey Dilemma 
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