I saw Prasoon Joshi interviewing Modi. It was disquieting to see him talk. Prasoon is an outstanding advertising professional and a poet par excellence. Whether advertising or poetry, you cannot be recognised unless you are a disruptor. You are respected because you disrupt thoughts by shaking existing foundations, norms and practices.

But Prasoon did none of that. His first question to Modi made me realise what he was up to. Didn't he realise this for himself?

More than a decade back, Prasoon Joshi wrote Rang De Basanti — a film about young rebels who question the system and kill themselves to uphold the constitutional values of India. He also wrote the songs for that movie. “Masti Ki Paatshala” inspired a generation of youth to rebel against the system. To question the system. The film broke all records at the box office. 12 years after its release, the film is still considered iconic for the message it gives to the youngsters of this country. Be a rebel.

In a song called “Khoon Chala”, Prasoon Joshi wrote:

"खुली-सी चोट लेकर

बड़ी सी टीस लेकर

आहिस्ता.. आहिस्ता..

सवालों की उंगली

जवाबों की मुट्ठी

संग लेकर खून चला..."

"सवालों की उंगली, जवाबों की मुट्ठी, संग लेकर खून चला..." — what powerful lines these are.

It is said that the India Against Corruption Movement, the student agitations against Nirbhaya rapes were inspired by the scenes and songs from Rang De Basanti. Such was the power of the film and the lyrics Prasoon Joshi wrote.

Photo: Twitter/Narendra Modi

In Taare Zameen Par, he made every soul in the theatre sob during the “Maa” song. The movie was about a rebel kid and a rebel teacher who discover themselves after meeting each other. There was a song about the state of kids in India today called “Jame Raho (Stay Put where you are)”. Prasoon Joshi wrote:

"ये हरदम सोचा करते हैं

ये खुद से पूछा करते हैं

क्यों दुनिया का नारा जमे रहो?

क्यों मंज़िल का इशारा जमे रहो?"

The same Prasoon Joshi, two days ago, literally crawled in front of Modi. A CBFC Chief post and a Padma Shri probably did the trick. That’s all was required to change a rebel to a follower. And I watched this transformation of Prasoon Joshi with horror on my face. Every time he spoke, I tried to see if he was faking his compliance in front of the PM. He wasn't. He was genuinely overawed and decided to succumb to the power of the PM. He scripted his questions. In fact, Narendra Modi was ten times more honest and genuine in his answers than Prasoon Joshi's poorly framed questions. Prasoon was so pathetic.

To me, it was a meek surrender of an inspiring intellectual of this country amidst chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”. It was amusing, disgusting, and unnerving — all in one.

This is not about Narendra Modi. This is not about Prasoon Joshi as well. This is about the decline of rationality in this country. This is about how we have created political icons out of people who should be serving us and in the process we have engaged ourselves in political servitude. For years, I have seen this happen to MPs, MLAs and corporators. But now I see it happening to the educated man as well. It's not a good sign. But as usual I am in a minority and as usual this post will be criticised as my bias against the BJP.

The fact is that the past four years has seen a systematic downfall of intellectual liberalism in India. So much so that "liberal" is a swear word used in political parlance of this country. I don't blame the right wing for criticising the liberals. Because there is a section of individuals and media houses in India who have been parading as liberals but who are essentially as biased as Right wing media. Abuse and name calling has replaced open debate and disagreements.

Unfortunately there is a gap between true liberalism and how our liberals behave in public. Liberalism is a state of mind that allows everyone and everything to exist peacefully. Questions are asked and answers are debated to make the world a better place. I don't see that happening around me. These days I see a lot of fakes who have hijacked liberalism. They are as intolerant as the right wing, but masquerade themselves as liberals.

Which is why I am not sure if real liberalism can be revived in this country so soon. I believed that Prasoon Joshi was a true liberal who was above petty politics and propaganda. I am convinced he is not. His spineless subjugation on an international platform, seen live on TV by millions across the world, makes me feel that this is probably the beginning of the end of liberalism in India. Am I only the one who is angry and crestfallen about this?

I will be happy to be proven wrong.

(This post by Ninad Vengurlekar first appeared on his Facebook page.)

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