Javed Akhtar was bristling at the mike. He had walked in at the fag end of a session on ‘God as a Political Philosopher: Dalit Perspectives on Buddhism’ at the Jaipur Literature Festival, with wife Shabana Azami and a huge fan following in tow. On stage, Dalit scholar Kancha Ilaiah and young Dalit writer teaching at Jamia Milia Islamia Ajay Navaria were clearly divided on whether or not a modern nation state modelled around Buddhism, and hence conversions, would really put an end to discrimination.

Akhtar had scarcely settled in amidst the scanty audience when the discussion got him worked up to a point he couldn’t keep it down. He got hold of the mike with gusto and aired his views even as the panelists barely finished answering the previous question.

“I am an atheist, for me all religions are equal, I despise all of them. No religion in the world gives equality to women. Talking about religion is like going back to the cave age... If you want to practice religion, it’s your choice — if you’ve already decided to commit suicide, why does it matter how you do it!”

Ilaiah shot back. “Life is not a cinema, certainly not Hindi cinema. I can’t go to thousands of Dalits and tribals and say become atheist. If there is one democratic religion they want to turn to, it would be Buddhism. I would rather trust their knowledge than that of the intellectuals.”

Only a few sessions later Akhtar, hastily intervened a dialogue between Prasoon Joshi and a visitor who argued that God had given women the role of motherhood. “The man is right!” Javed hollered from the back benches. Seeking permission to continue he mockingly said, “I just called him two days back, and God said, plan’s changed.”

Jaipur Lit Fest: Enter the writer-activist