Decades of neglect of education has resulted in the multiplication of large swathes of citizens who have lost their powers of logic and reason. This is the cause and effect of the riots, destruction of public property and murder and mayhem in several states of north India over the scheduled release of the feature film Padmaavat on the eve of Republic Day (January 26). The nationwide release of this movie starring marquee actors and directed by nationally acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is being vigorously opposed by a caste-based organisation named Shri Rajput Karni Sena. It claims that the movie is a distortion of history and an insult to the Rajput community inasmuch as it hints of a romance between the Muslim invader Allauddin Khilji (1250-1316) and Padmini, the beautiful queen of the Hindu kingdom of Chittor, in contemporary Rajasthan.

Since then despite the Central Board of Film Certification clearing the film with several cuts and change of name from the original Padmaavati to Padmaavat, and Bhansali reiterating that the film is a work of fiction, the agitation of the Karni Sena has snowballed with elders and firebrands threatening the lives of lead actors and Bhansali, and vowing to burn down cinema theatres which exhibit the movie.

Quite clearly, the important issue of freedom of speech and expression is involved. Article 19 (1) (a) confers this fundamental right on all citizens. Admittedly, this right is subject to reasonable restrictions in the larger public interest under Article 19 (6). But this qualification has been accepted by Bhansali who made changes in the title and cuts in the movie. And finally release of the film has been ordered by the Supreme Court on January 18 after taking all these issues into consideration. Nevertheless, Karni Sena and associated leaders continue to brazenly intimidate film distributors and cinema owners contracted to exhibit Padmaavat. Worse, the governments of several BJP ruled states whose duty is to enforce the rule of law and arrest Karni Sena leaders for public intimidation and hate speech, have petitioned the Supreme Court to review its order to release Padmaavat on the ground that they fear breakdown of law and order.

The plain truth is that decades of State neglect of primary-secondary education has divided the nation. On one side is a small sentient minority which has benefited from the best private schools and few dozen top-ranked institutions of higher education, and is endowed with powers of comprehension, reasoning and logic. On the other side is the great majority for whom the primacy of the Constitution, rule of law, freedom of speech and expression, gender equality etc are mere abstractions. These quasi-educated elements deprived of meaningful education, have entered the country’s institutions of governance.

The Padmaavat row is the outcome of decades of neglect of education and a warning sign of things to come.