Vaikom Muhammad Basheer makes painful political statements in his literature, even if done through social and political humor. After all, he took part in the Indian independence movement. He was part of the freedom struggle. He was politically aware and active in his time. He participated in the civil disobedience movement of Mahatma Gandhi, and was eventually arrested. He traveled all over India as an ascetic. When he returned to his native Kerala, he concentrated on becoming a political writer. He was jailed many times over for his continued active participation in the independence movement. Writing became his distinct contribution to the movement to free India from its colonial masters.
Basheer is a critic of popular sentiment and of the populist view on politics with its sociocultural necessities needed to prosper. His characters are ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances. As a brilliant political farce, ‘The World-Renowned Nose’ is a humorous story that serves as a package that wraps a harsh societal truth.
The biggest statement that Basheer makes is on the psychology of the masses. Popular sentiment almost always has something to do with the bandwagon mentality. People who want to manipulate the populist view of society only have to tap on popular sentiment for their cause to sell to the greater many. The shaping of a populist view rests on the use of controversies.
These controversies survive on the humor grist mill. There is a political campaign belief that good or bad publicity is still publicity. It does not matter whether the objects and issues of discussion are intelligent or sane. What is vital is that they are controversial enough to earn public discussion, popular opinion, even mundane debate.
In other words, the medium is far more important than the message.
Politicians bank on being talked about, any which way but loose. As far as competing political parties are concerned, a candidate that carries a controversial aspect about him or her is a political campaign treasure to be had.
Politicians know this strategy too well. So does Basheer.
Via Venu Menon
