It's the ideology that should be in the dock, not the artist.

Before we write-off Gaddar.

(Patabhedam Editorial by Civic Chandran Chinnangath )

Translated from Malayalam.

I’m sure, you’ll dismiss what I have to say. Yet, let me. An artist’s association with a political movement need not be primarily inspired by politics. It can be transcendental, instead.

In my case, at least, it was true. My Maoist links were more about sublimity than stateship.

It was in the early 80’s that I interviewed singer-poet Gaddar in Chennai. Maybe, it was the first interview of Gaddar by a Malayalee. It was meant for an English magazine titled `Distant Thunder.’ Unfortunately, the magazine did not see the light of day and I misplaced that notes as well.

In these days when reports suggest Gaddar has embraced spiritualism, I recall the revolutionary poet’s words shared with me. The words which went unpublished.

No, not now, two years ago I happened to visit Shanthigiri ashram along with Doctor M.Gangadharan.

In Thiruvanthapuram we got enough time. What will we do? Shall we meet O.V.Usha ? She was in the ashram. When we called her it was festival time there. `Come Sire, it was a long time since we met.’ Thus we ended up in the ashram.

As we rambled among the festival crowd familiar faces and ‘Hi’ calls emerged here and there. Who are these acquaintances among the devotees? Some friends of `Cultural Vedi’ days are addressing me by my name. Among them were some old accused' of Guerrilla Actions. No wonder Usha teased ; Suresh Gopi visited the ashram recently. But you have more comrades than him here.

When I ran into some of them, alone, I did indeed ask them. How came you end up here ?

The reply : We feel the same comradeship here which we felt in the movement those days.
More than politics, isn’t it an incorporeal closeness what the comrades of a movement share among themselves ?

It is not clear whether Gaddar has severed all his ties with the Maoist movement. We need not fear that Gaddar will triumph us. Because he is not a mere politician. What den would tame a lion that carries wilderness within?
But it is the movement and ideology that should do a soul searching as to why creative minds are abandoning it. It’s the movements and ideology that should be in the dock, not the artist.