From Biryani to Rs 500, Artists React to Anti-Protestor Propaganda

Artists react to the propaganda being spread against anti-CAA protesters. Featuring Swara Bhasker, Aamir Aziz, Sumukhi Suresh, Kaneez Surka and more!

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Producers: Meghnad Bose, Asmita Nandy
Cameraperson: Shah Umar
Video editor: Asish Maccune

From provocations like “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro s**lo ko!” to allegations such as “Shaheen Bagh mein Rs 500 aur biryani milti hai daily, issi liye log waha baithe hai”, artists react to the propaganda being spread against anti-CAA protesters. Featuring Swara Bhasker, Aamir Aziz, Sumukhi Suresh, Kaneez Surka, Poojan Sahil, Aditi Mittal and more!

(Photo: The Quint)

Provocation: “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro s**lo ko!”

Responses:

Aditi Mittal, comedian: Desh ke bimaaron ko, goli (medicines) de do saaro ko.

Aamir Aziz, poet: Nafrat karne walo ko, biryani khilao saaro ko.

Swanand Kirkire, lyricist: Desh ke pyaaro ko, seene se lagao saaro ko.

Swara Bhasker, actor: Desh ke gawaaro ko, school bhejo saaro ko. Not WhatsApp University, but real schools, where they actually learn history.

Sumukhi Suresh, comedian: You’re talking about shooting people? Just relax, everybody. Let’s go eat biryani first, then we’ll talk this out.

Pravin Khade, musician: They said this because this is their role. Nathuram had shot Gandhi, and they have studied in the Nathuram school of thought. But our school of thought is that of Ambedkar, Gandhi, Fathima and Phule.

(Photo: The Quint)

Allegation: “Aap log toh desh ko baat rahe ho, tukde tukde, choor-choor, urban Naxal, anti-national, deshdrohi gang ho.”

Responses:

Sumukhi Suresh: No no, sir. Ask my mother, and she’ll tell you that I’m really useless. How will I break the nation? It’s impossible. I just know how to make jokes, and tell the truth.

Poojan Sahil, musician: Who is the tukde tukde gang? There was an RTI as well that asked this question, but the Home Ministry couldn’t answer it.

Madara, musician: Tukde tukde kaun hai? Jo shiksha ke dalal hai. Tukde tukde kaun hai? Bikau patrakaar hai. Chowkidar ka hi vesh, par Godse ki kaum hai.

Pravin Khade: You are doing ‘tukde tukde’, you are dividing us on communal lines, into Hindus and Muslims. The Constitution does not talk of such discrimination, and we abide by the Constitution.

(Photo: The Quint)

Allegation: “Shaheen Bagh protest is sponsored. Saara Congress ka khel hai.”

Responses:

Aditi Mittal: If the Congress is organising the Shaheen Bagh protest, then that would be the first thing they’ve organised with any competence.

Raj Shekhar, lyricist: I think the Congress would be very happy to hear that someone thinks they can orchestrate this.

Swanand Kirkire: Congress isn’t managing to sponsor itself right now, what will they sponsor these protests?

Allegation: “Shaheen Bagh mein Rs 500 aur biryani milti hai daily, issi liye log waha baithe hai.”

Responses:

Aamir Aziz: The women have answered that. They are telling those in power, “Come and sit down to talk with us. We will give you 500 rupees and biryani too.”

Deepak Peace, musician: Like Varun Grover said, “If the women’s support could have been bought with 500 rupees per person, the BJP would’ve bought it already.”

Sumukhi Suresh: I don’t understand what the problem about eating biryani is. I don’t understand why it is an insult in this country where you get excellent biryani.

Kaneez Surka: What?! If that’s true, I will go to Shaheen Bagh right now. Bye!

Pravin Khade: They could eat biryani at home too, right. Different kinds of biryani that too. Why would they want to eat biryani in the cold?

Ananya Gaur, singer: Don’t devalue and demean the protestors with these cheap allegations.

(Photo: The Quint)

Allegation: “Anti-CAA protestors should educate themselves, they are protesting kyunki unko kuch pata hi nahi hai.”

Responses:

Poojan Sahil: Among the anti-CAA protestors are academics and artists who have read more books on their own than the whole of the BJP would have. So, I don’t think that BJP folks can question their education, for sure.

Sumukhi Suresh: Think a little before you speak, once in a while? We’ll think and protest, you think and speak.

Aamir Aziz: People who are saying this should read the Constitution first, then CAA, NRC and NPR. Then they’ll understand the difference between being ignorant and well-informed.

Madara: Those who are saying this should read Article 14 of the Constitution. If not, then go watch Faizan Mustafa’s videos on YouTube, and realise how CAA and NRC are against the Constitution of India.

Swanand Kirkire: If we are ignorant and can’t understand properly, then come and explain it to us? Come and answer our questions?

(Photo: The Quint)

Assertion: “Since 2014, the government has never discussed or talked about the NRC.”

Responses:

Raj Shekhar: Are you asking us a question or telling us a joke?

Saba Azad, musician: Intercut with Amit Shah saying that NRC will be implemented and “aap chronology samajhiye.”

Kaneez Surka: So then what is Amit Shah talking about? First, I think, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi need to sit down and have a conversation, over a pot of biryani.

Aamir Aziz: Why are his ministers repeatedly talking about a nationwide NRC then?

Poojan Sahil: I feel that he should watch Lok Sabha TV recordings and Amit Shah’s speeches where he declared that NRC will happen across the country.

Sumukhi Suresh: This is like Chinese Whispers of Modi sir. Sir, your department is playing some other game. The others in your party are playing cricket, you are playing table tennis.

Aamir Aziz: These are false statements. They will tell us in broad daylight that the sun is not there, and at night that the moon has gone missing. These are lies, don’t fall for them. Check the records and you will find the truth.

(Photo: The Quint)

Assertion: “CAA-NRC kisi ka nuksaan nahi karega, aap log bekaar mein dar phaila rahe ho.”

Responses:

Aamir Aziz: This law precisely discriminates on the basis of religion. Says that Jains, Sikhs, Christians etc. will get citizenship through the Act, but not Muslims. In this country, the Constitution does not discriminate on the basis of religion.

Madara: CAA-NRC will not hurt anyone, just like demonetisation ended terrorism.

Abhishek Jinger, musician: If they are so sure that it will not hurt anyone, then why doesn’t Amit Shah go and talk to the women of Shaheen Bagh, who have been protesting for so long?

Deepak Peace: We are spreading fear? We are speaking the truth, they are the ones who have spread fear.

(Photo: The Quint)

Poojan Sahil: Mazhab nahi sikhata, aapas mein bair rakhna
Gulistan yeh bulbulo ka, kaaton se dur rakhna.

Swanand Kirkire: Tum nafrat nafrat baatoge, main pyaar hi pyaar tumhe doonga
Tum maarne haath uthaoge, main baahon mein tumhe bhar loonga
Tum maar lo dande, kar lo daman,
Main phir phir ladne ko pesh hoon
Hindustan kehte hai mujhe, main Gandhi ka desh hoon.

Abhishek Jinger: Kabir had expressed it beautifully. “Bura jo dekha main chala, bura na miliya koy,
Jo dil khoja apna, mujhse bura na koy.” When those who keep looking for evil in others introspect, they will realise that it is inside their minds. When those who are spreading hate introspect similarly, that is when hatred will be overcome.

Raj Shekhar: Mohabbat zindabad!