Thread by @parthpunter

Sharing a disturbing letter written by noted Marathi playwright Jayant Pawar. He talks about two recent instances that happened in Mumbai and Pune with two theatre groups, and asks if the art community will stand up. Posting some excerpts here. It should worry us all.
#Thread

"From 9th to 11th August, Delhi-based group Jan Natya Manch (Janam) had come to Mumbai with their play "Tathagat". On August 10th, the play was staged at the Ambedkar Bhavan in Dadar. The police arrived at the venue and made inquiries about the play."

"The next day in Andheri, at the Harkat Studio, 2 CID cops from Versova police station landed at the small auditorium and started taking photographs of the set. After this, they started making enquiries about Sudhanva Deshpande, the leader of the folk-theatre group."

"Then they enquired about the nature of the play. Then, they questioned the manager of Harkat Studio and asked him why he permitted such a performance at his venue. Further they headed outside and took photographs of the people lined up to attend the show."

"Then when the play began, within 5-7 minutes into the play, they barged into the auditorium and stationed themselves 4-5 feet from the stage, stood at the exit door throughout the entire performance. Then nothing happened. They left."

"The second event happened at a hotel in Pune in the early hours of 15th of August, rather just after midnight. The Mumbai based theatre group, "Qissa Kothi", formed 3 years ago, were taking their Hindi play "Romeo Ravidas aur Juliet Devi" to Pune."

"After their show at the Lalit Kala Kendra, the five member group returned to Kamini Hotel, Chinchwad. At 2:30 AM a police party comprising of 2 cops raided their room. Their first line of questioning -- "Who among you is Yash Khan? How did he get here?"

"They identified Khan and searched the young man. They examined his ID proof. They questioned the two other men staying with him in the room and the two women in the other room. They wished to know how his four colleagues knew Khan and the nature of their relationship with him."

"They had no warrant to conduct such a search. Apparently this search was a part of the general security scan for Independence Day. But if that was the case then why weren't the rest of the rooms checked or the other guests in the hotel questioned? No answer."

"Who informed the police and what came out of this operation? No answer. An ordinary youngster who manages the backstage operations of a small theatre group and his family will however, forever live in terror."

"s it offensive to be Muslim or to be ideologically left of centre? Without any direct orders or due process, do you think it is okay for the police to barge in, raid and search as they wish? Will you publicly oppose these events?"

"Please do not think that I am asking you to answer for this. I don't mind if you say nothing to the questions I ask you. After all silence speaks for itself. But I do hope you say something. I can not accept gagging, of anyone -- not even that of my opponents."

My story for Mumbai Mirror, where I spoke to the theatre groups mentioned in Jayant Pawar's letter.
mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/t…