Cinema helps creating tolerant and peaceful societies

Cinema wields a sense of intimacy and familiarity and what it projects has a reaction within society. It is a powerful medium through which a spirit of national integrity, dignity and pride as well as tolerance can be portrayed. Films can educate and create awareness about social issues and influence masses. All this imposes an obligation on everyone associated with the film industry to look at how to use the power of cinema to do good for society through the portrayal of attitudes that help in building tolerant and peaceful societies.

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This is how Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil expressed her view on cinema after conferring the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Award (for National Integration) on Shabana Azmi, the acclaimed film personality and Shekhar Gupta, a veteran journalist. Addressed a distinguished gathering in Guwahati on October 19, the President also added, “We have a rich and varied cultural heritage that has been and continues to be a very significant base for telling our own people of our rich cultural heritage, our civilizational strengths, and our deep-rooted ethos of non-violence and of living in harmony with nature.

Shabana Azmi, selected for the award for 2007, could not attend the function for personal ground. Of course, her acceptance speech was read out for the benefit of the audiences.

Recognised as a conscious actor and a social activist, Shabana has performed mostly in socially relevant and sensitive films. The actor, honoured with a number of national and international film-awards, continues taking up the causes that could educate the people in various aspects.

The winner for the year 2006, Shekhar Gupta, whose association with Northeast is well known, has varied experiences as a journalist and he had influenced the public opinion on important issues through his analytical write ups. The Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express, Shekhar has also tried to highlight issues that need a national perspective in a non-partisan manner. He received a citation and a cash price of Rs.200,000 with other mementoes from the President.

In his acceptance speech, Shekhar revealed that in a democratic country like India, people love to hate politics. Every day they curse politicians and also politics is considered as the root cause of various problems in the society. However, the solution of those problems might be lying in politics itself. So, the people prefer to achieve political solutions to those problems, Shekhar added.

“Media's reach is only expanding and its platforms have increased from print to radio and electronic as well as internet. Media in one form or the other, particularly the electronic media, has today dramatically penetrated into every home. In many ways, the media is shaping our thoughts, aspirations and opinions and this means that the responsibilities and duties of media are increasing," the first lady President of India commented.

During her speech in the function, where both the Chief Minister (Tarun Gogoi) and the Governor (S.C. Mathur) of Assam were present, the President also added that 'while bringing news and all that is happening in society to the forefront, it must also carry messages in a manner that helps in building a constructive approach. Media can contribute significantly to the process of socio-economic development and in our fight against social evils which hamper our efforts in accomplishing broader goals for our great nation, she asserted.

The Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Award was instituted by the Assam government on 2005 for honouring those who contribute for national integration. The first award was conferred on the actor turned politician Sunil Dutt for his contributions to public life.

Mentionable that Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, who hailed from Assam, became the President of India in 1974. He died on 1977 before completing his term as the Head of the State. He actively participated in the freedom movement and later worked closely with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Azad.

“As the President of India, he invariably conveyed the message of peace and always urged the people to render selfless service to the nation. His ardent commitment to national integration guided his political work. The foundation of national solidarity, according to him, lay in the minds and hearts of all citizens of India. He believed that all Indians must cultivate a broad human outlook, rise above caste or communal loyalties and inculcate the values of tolerance and harmony in their daily lives,” the President Ms Patil said.

Highlighting the recent incidents of violence in the country, the President stated, "These go against our cultural ethos and civilizational values. It is deeply distressing that they have chosen the wrong path and a divisive agenda. Their violence should not divert us from our path of growth and neither should it be allowed to dilute our basic tolerant character. India achieved its independence through non-violent means, it has followed the route of democracy and it has always advocated the principles of peace and harmony. This must and will continue to be the path of our nation.”

The President Ms Patil, who had arrived in Guwahati on Sunday is scheduled to give away the Nirmal Gram awards on October 20. Moreover, the President will also lay the foundation stone of a new medical college at Tezpur and address armed forces personnel there next day. She is scheduled to inaugurate the Baljek airport at Tura and later to address the centenary celebrations of Laban Bengali Girls HS School in Shillong of Meghalaya.