Bengal theatre groups asked to perform play praising PM Modi: Min

KOLKATA: Theatre groups in Bengal are required to stage a play that praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi to receive central funding.

This directive has come from the Center to the theatre groups in the state, the state education minister and theatre personality Bratya Basu posted on social media. Basu shared the six-page short play. In Hindi, the play is titled ‘Le Aau Wapas Sone Ki Chiriya’ by Lalit Prakash.

On Tuesday, Basu took to social media and posted: “The BJP-led central government, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, has distributed a brief play praising PM Modi to all theatre groups in Bengal, instructing them to stage it.” Basu mentioned that if a theatre group opts not to perform the play, it will be denied central funding. Basu further mentioned that given Bengal-based theatre groups mostly adhere to Left secular ideals, he hopes that they won’t comply with this directive. The play also finds mention of Modi-led government’s principles of Vasudev Kutumbakam and Viksit Bharat.

Meanwhile, theatre veteran Debesh Chattopadhyay said that he won’t perform the play, even if it means his theatre group loses funding from the Center. According to him, staging such a play goes against the core of his passion for theatre.

According to theatre personality Falguni Chattopadhyay, art requires freedom, and no one should be forced into performing the play.