Both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in Delhi: AAP Minister
In an apparent jibe at UP's anti-Romeo squads, Delhi's Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra has said both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in Delhi as there would be no Mogambo (a Hindi movie villain) to object. He further stated the AAP government is working on improving Delhi's nightlife. "The nightlife ensures the law and order of a place," he added.
While the lives of Uttar Pradesh's Romeos and Juliets have taken a tragic turn with critics accusing the state's week-old BJP government of "moral policing", the star-crossed lovers may find refuge in the nation's Capital.The culture of India is love and resistance, AAP minister Kapil Mishra said on Saturday. Speaking at the MAIL TODAY Culture Conclave, he announced that both Romeo and Juliet are welcome in the city and there would be no Mogambo to object, referring to one of Hindi cinema's best-known villains.His remarks came against the backdrop of the UP government's controversial anti-Romeo drive, described as a crackdown on people harassing women in public places. "Every year when the tourism calendar of the government of India is sent to all countries, there are two places which are always mentioned- Taj Mahal and Khajuraho. One symbolises divine love and the other material love," the city's tourism and culture minister said.Indian culture is known to embrace dissenting voices, he pointed out. "We are a flexible society. People who invaded and made an attempt to destroy our culture eventually blended in."UP GOVERNMENT'S ACTION CRITICIZED ON SOCIAL MEDIAThe Uttar Pradesh government's action has sparked criticism on social media video with commentators terming it infringement of individual rights with TV footage showing young men being caned by police and others being made to do sit-ups as punishment."After taking over as tourism and culture minister, I got to know that a concert of (Pakistani singer) Ghulam Ali sahab had been cancelled in Mumbai. The first thing I did was to call him and invite him to Delhi for a concert," Mishra recalled. "Ghulam Ali is one of those artists whose music is immensely popular among Indian soldiers. His music is without boundaries. Our culture is flexible and convergent."The minister compared Indian culture to the voices of Kabir and Maharishi Charvaka- known for their anti-norm views. Some people are trying to enforce uniformity is the garb of unity, he said. "India with such diverse culture is a culture of resistance and we should celebrate it."The Aam Aadmi Party and other critics have accused the ruling BJP at the Centre as well as affiliated groups of trying to muzzle dissent and paint nonconformists as "anti-nationals".ON RAMJAS, JNU INCIDENTSTalking about clashes at educational institutions in recent months including the violence at Delhi's Ramjas College in February and JNU last year, Mishra said university culture is all about healthy discussion on politics and policies."It is wrong to term the voices of dissent as Naxalite, terrorist or anarchist. However, the anti national slogans that were raised in JNU are unacceptable and people responsible for it should be behind bars," he said. "But hitting a college professor in the name of culture is not a trait of a Hindu."The Capital will hold cultural and tourism festivals in six months on the lines of Dubai and Singapore, the minister announced."We are working on the packaging and the branding of the Capital," he said. "We are introducing seven tourist circuits. We have collaborated with INTACT to protect 250 archeological sites in the Capital." MISHRA APPRECIATES CENTRE'S SUPPORTAmid all the criticism for the Centre, the minister did not hold back in appreciating the support he received from the Modi government."The Centre and Delhi government are closely working in tandem to promote tourism and clean the Yamuna," he said."We believe, to promote culture it is important to connect the society with the river. Therefore, we organised a mega Yamuna aarti and are also going to develop river tourism and a `200-crore budget has been earmarked for this year. We have a 22-km stretch of clean water which is still an unexplored point. We have begun water sports. We will develop a 5-km ecological river front."The city's nightlife is an important part of the culture and it's beyond going to India Gate or nightclubs, Mishra argued. "The nightlife ensures the law and order of a place," he said.ALSO READ | No moral policing in the name of anti-Romeo squads, says UP government