HATS OFF JHUMPA LAHIRI

KAJAL CHATTERJEE

 

 

                                          

No kudos is enough for Pulitzer prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri for declining a prestigious award from Noguchi Museum, Queens, New York by protesting it's ban on kaffiyeh in the garb of updated "dress code" policy wherein the staff has been prohibited from wearing any "political dress" in work premises and working hours! 

 

The Museum has initiated this ban from indulging in any sort of dress displaying "political" messages/slogans/symbols in retaliation of the "audacity" of three of its employees who had sported kaffiyeh to signal solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza ! Also the authorities have fired the trio for sympathising with the besieged Gazans! 

 

Though the museum authorities have politely respected Lahiri's perspective, how bizarrely have they offered "moral sermons" of  "upholding values of inclusivity and openness"! How can values of inclusivity and openness be honoured by infringing upon one's democratic right to choose their own attire, that too for expressing moral support to the tortured souls in the most non-violent fashion possible !

 

 By preferring to remain on the side of all things sane (human rights of Gazans, freedom of expression of their sympathisers, democracy) by overriding all norms of materialistic desires and individual craving for bagging prestigious awards; Lahiri, through her sheer refusal of the award, has once again asserted the eternal truth that "All things can be sacrificed for the sake of humanity, but Humanity cannot be sacrificed for the sake of anything"!

 

Jhumpa Lahiri's moral and humanitarian stance reminds us of the Tamil poet Sukirtharani who had politely, but firmly, declined to accept Devi awards (in early 2023) just because the main sponsor of the event was a particular industrial group - - - much notorious not only in financial terms, but also for pursuing "development" at the expense of the poor - - - displaced from land and livelihood. 

 

 Nearly seventeen years ago, the name of a particular Kolkata-based industrialist was negatively associated with the death(murder/suicide) of a young man who performed the great "sin" of marrying outside his religion! And right from that day, I have stopped using all products associated with the brand name of that particular industrialist. Obviously my individual boycott of his product hasn't stopped him from increasing his clout through sponsoring many glamorous sporting or cultural events ; but at least at the end of the day, I can remain accountable to my conscience for remaining dissociated with any product/event produced/sponsored by his company! 

 

Sukirtharani had helped me in awarding my resolve an additional boost so as to never compromise with any wrong and injustice. 

 

Had all persons of the society been as upright and conscientious as Lahiri and Sukirtharani; the immoral brigade would have been compelled to shut up their shops permanently and the ugly primitive mindset of dominance over the weak, through arms muscle or ridiculous laws, would have been eliminated from the face of the earth.