A budding Konkani singer stirred controversy with his recent song on Youtube titled 'Dongi MLA'. The song is highly critical of Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, and goes about complete character assassination of the legislator, briefly touching on his defection to the BJP and also highlighting alleged land deals.
Fiery political songs are not new to the Konkani arena, noted singers like William de Curtorim and Francis de Tuem have set benchmarks of their own. However, with the advent of social media, these political songs have traversed geographical, communal and cultural boundaries amplifying the embarrassment caused to the subject. Also, a vast section of people connects to the pitch because they are disillusioned by political dispensations.
Politicians are easy targets because they are public figures and are under scrutiny all the time. However, this song medium leaves them with no scope for a rebuttal. The point here is that irrevocable damage is sometimes done using the Konkani stage as a platform. It does provide entertainment for a section of people, and that is understandable due to the dramatization that is brought about. The question here is should the Konkani platform be allowed freely to settle personal scores.
There has to be a subtle line between narration and the constructive criticism based on facts and figures. Randomly going for political bashing is uncalled for, and brings the entire institution of the Konkani stage into disrepute. It creates a chasm between artistes and tall political figures, more especially when the latter has been very supportive of Konkani entertainment and culture.
The argument of respecting freedom of speech is accepted, but this can't be considered a license to go about trashing public figures and defaming them in the open. As Goa heads into a high-voltage assembly election the bitter acrimony between the political class and singers will come into sharp focus.
On the flip side, police machinery has been unleashed on singers several times in the past because the legislators have taken offence. The men-in-uniform have gone about confronting singers with brutal authority, even trampling upon their fundamental rights.
The standoff continues, and there is an urgent need for restraint and resolution. There have been moves by the government to introduce censorship on tiatrs and songs. That would be unfortunate because it would take away the sheen and which is why tiatrists must come up with a system of their own.
Before these confrontations take an ugly turn, tiatrists must devise a censoring mechanism so that the autonomy of this age-old Konkani institution is protected from unnecessary curbs from the outside. Stalwarts of Konkani stage and bodies like Tiatr Academy of Goa must play an active role to ensure the charm and propriety of tiatr is protected.
The historic Konkani stage and the hundreds of its torchbearers who have done yeoman’s service in the field for decades and who have earned world acclaim should not be forced to face ignominy because of the acts of a few. Let the show go on in the true spirit of entertainment.
