THE FAIZ CONTROVERSY

Allegory is a literary device used by poets to convey thoughts through symbols while the literal meaning of what is written maybe something different. It is particularly useful in political context when direct criticism of those in power could land the writer in trouble. Veiled metaphors are used instead.

It is natural that a revolutionary poet like Faiz Ahmed Faiz used this tool very effectively as he was very critical of the oppressive regime in Pakistan.

We have great poets who penned inspiring lines during our freedom struggle. My personal favourite is Bismil’s “sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai,  Dekhna hai zor kitna bazue kaatil mein hai”.

It isn’t mere coincidence that the agitating “students” of IIT Kanpur chose a Pakistani poet Faiz and the choice of the poem Hum Dekhenge is no coincidence either. Only the really naïve would believe that these protesters were referring to the hidden meaning in the lines ‘bas naam rahega allah ka’ or ‘but ko hata denge’. The intention was undoubtedly to wound the Hindu sentiments as the ruling establishment is considered pro Hindu.

Now it was the turn of the “intellectuals” to rub salt into those wounds. The self professed Left Intellectual Javed Akhtar, led the pack. He, along with the likes of Shashi Tharoor, Barkha Dutt et al, went on to say that the Right Wing doesn’t know how to appreciate poetry and Faiz is beyond them. Akhtar went a step further. According to him, only Leftists can write sensitive poetry because only they have compassion and humanity??? (Trying to imagine the very humane and compassionate Stalin, Lenin, Mao et al)

https://twitter.com/Javedakhtarjadu/status/1211867541204688896?s=20

https://twitter.com/BDUTT/status/1212716101664030720?s=20

The objection was to the use of the words Allah & But (idol). These”intellectuals” shifted the goalpost and made it about Faiz.

My second point. To appreciate a poet or a writer, do you have to necessarily like or agree with all their works? Is it not possible that I might like Faiz but do not like some of his poetry?

How many Indians will appreciate these lines:

Cheen-O-Arab Hamara, Hindustan Hamara
Muslim Hain Hum, Watan Hai Sara Jahan Hamara

(China & Arab are ours, Hindustan is ours

We are Muslims and the whole world is ours)

Teghon Ke Saaye Main Hum Pal Kar Jawan Huway Hain
Khanjer Hilaal Ka Hai Qaumi Nishan Hamara

(We have grown up under the shadow of the sword

The crescent of the moon, symbolizing the dagger, is our national emblem)

Translation mine and subject to errors as I am no expert in Urdu.

Above lines are from Tarana e Milli written by Sir Mohammad Iqbal in circa 1909.

Ironically, the song Tarana e Hindi written by him five years earlier and later disowned by him is still our National Song ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’.

If we can accept one as our national song and reject the other by the same poet, why can’t we do it with other Faiz or anyone else for that matter?

 https://twitter.com/Javedakhtarjadu/status/1212809709050384384?s=20

Here, Javed saab doesn’t want to see it metaphorically. True that Iqbal died in 1937 and so he did not go to Pakistan. But he was one of the architects of the idea of Pakistan and he was mentally there when he wrote Tarana e Milli.