PANJIM: In a clear move to gag tiatr productions and ensure that they do not attack the government, the ruling party or the parivar, the government has drafted rules towards controlling, monitoring and censoring tiatr productions, under the garb of bringing about a regulatory process for all stage performances.
Called the “Goa licensing and controlling places of public amusement (other than cinema) and performances for public amusement, Rules 2015”, it seeks to primarily set up a censor board which will review all stage productions, mainly tiatrs, before they are allowed to be released.
In doing so, the government has clearly bowed to the wishes of the right wing Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, an ally of Pramod Muthalik’s Sri Ram Sene outfit. The HJS had written to then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, asking for a censor board “for plays and tiatrs (Konkani plays) in Goa”. A verbatim extract of that letter states, “In the state of Maharashtra there is a censor board for plays known as ‘Rajya Rangbhumi Parinirikshan Mandal’, which censors and certifies every play that is going to be staged in Goa, we do not have any such machinery like the Censor board. In the past many violent incidents have occurred through plays and tiatrs by hurting sentiments of people. This creates problem in law and order situation.”
According to government sources, former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had allowed the HJS demand in the shape of a “request” to simmer. He was of the opinion that some restriction were needed in the wake of many tiatr songs ridiculing and castigating his government. A note was moved and it was after Laxmikant Parsekar took over as chief minister that the process started with the Information Department moving a note, which went from the Information Office to the Directorate of Art and Culture. The Director Art and Culture Prasad Lolayekar told Herald, “The concerned draft rules were sent to this department. We have returned it quite some time back stating that everything will depend on how the implementing body (censor board) interprets it to protect creative expression. A board can work both ways. It could also be a body that safeguards the creative interests (of writers, producers, directors, etc).”
According to government sources who have seen the actual notings on the file, the Art and Culture department has made two points: a) The censor board has to be created through legislation and b) The nodal body for film monitoring will be the Information department and the Art and Culture department will be the body for stage productions.
The Tiatr fraternity, which has got wind of the move, has expectedly reacted sharply. Price Jacob, President of Tiatr Academy of Goa said, “It isn’t really necessary. The tiatr has been around for 123 years now. There was a censor board during the Portuguese time and if they enforce a censor board how different will this government be from the Portuguese one? We are in a democracy today; there is no need for a censor board. Each director should be a censor.”
Clearly, battle lines will be drawn between the government and the crucial tiatr community if it goes ahead with a move, which is sure to boomerang on the government.
