Online campaigns are viewed as the most democratic medium in contemporary times. There are numerous examples of social media resulting in change and enhancing accountability in countries, towns and villages. As someone who studies the positive impact of social media on civil society interactions, it’s heartening to witness these developments. Various forms on online protests, exchange of ideas on Twitter and open discussion forums available on Facebook have demonstrated the power of social media.
But a recent incident has forced me to accept the inevitable – social media is an open forum and can be misused if the users so intend. I am referring to the cancellation of the Harud Autumn Literature Festival in Kashmir, India. The festival scheduled to be held in the last week of September was a unique opportunity for the budding literary minds of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh to engage with stalwarts from across the country. The reason for cancellation was spelled out by Namita Gokhale, the festival advisor: “What would you do if 5,000 people on Facebook are running a campaign for boycott of the festival and plan violence.”
The festival was marred in controversy from two fronts. Many literary figures objected to the emphasis on “apolitical” nature of the festival. Art and literature is inspired by the context and it would be wrong to expect that Kashmiri artists and writers can disconnect their work and discussions from the current state of affairs. Many saw this emphasis on “apolitical” as a conspiracy of the Indian state and an attempt to promote a false image of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. Some others, like Gull Wani, were open to the festival without the needless emphasis on its political orientation. No matter what the objective of the festival read in fine print, it was an opportunity where many locals, who can’t make it to international seminars due to visa issues or economic constraints could engage with the best minds on home turf. Many literary figures and artists may have refused to participate in the festival to avoid getting identified as part of the state sponsored conspiracy but more than their reputations, Harud was a rare availability of space! A space, which no matter how it was defined is a blessing for people who live in the midst of barbed wires and metal detectors. For Indians in other parts of the country, the neighbourhood paan shop or parking lot of the mosque may offer this space (and thus we are oblivious to its importance) but for the people of Kashmir this space is rare.
My anguish flows from the fact that many young people in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been robbed of this space by a few thousand users of social media. I respect the personal decision of many writers and artists who disassociated themselves from the festival but the forceful closure of this rare space for those who were eager to participate is painful. I don’t see this as the democratic power of social media but its constraining impact.
According to a piece in Tehelka,
A Facebook page calling for the boycott of the event attracted several thousands of members and became a site for the angry exchanges. Around 5000 people, mostly youth, have visited the page with many of them denouncing the event on the wall pages. “We need to unite, raise our voices and fists. Say no to this event. Make Kashmir resonate with the cries of No to `Harud- The Autumn Literature Festival,’” says the info page.
The Facebook campaign assumed a disturbing dimension when the wall posts on the Page opposed participation of Salman Rushdie in the festival. The organizers came out candidly to declare that the news of Rushdie’s participation was a rumor and that there were no plans to invite him. Online opponents of the festival over-looked the clarifications and continued with the campaign to discredit the event. For the protestors Facebook provided a space to amplify their voice but it is sad to see that they used it to curtail the possibility of a similar space beyond the internet, where they could not only give voice to their despair but also their aspirations and showcase their talents. The inability of protestors to offer constructive criticism or viable alternatives to Harud festival demonstrates that theirs was a campaign of sabotage not of democracy.
I am hoping that someone in Kashmir starts another Facebook page calling for resumption of Harud festival and is able to gather more than 5,000 supporters!
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