India: A uniform national policy for culture? Who in our diverse, federal system would agree?

Sun Dec 9 16:54:58 UTC 2007

      AP All hands: A tourist at the Girijan Utsav, a tribal welfare
festival in Hyderabad   GOVERNMENT: CULTURE *A Salad Of Sounds*  *A uniform
national policy for culture? Who in our diverse, federal system would agree?
*    Anuradha Raman<http://www.outlookindia.com/author.asp?name=Anuradha+Raman>

*"Culture: total set of beliefs, customs or way of life of particular
groups; a collective noun for the symbolic and learned, non-biological
aspects of human society, including language, custom and convention...."*
—Penguin Dictionary of Sociology

***
"One could suggest ways to preserve our heritage, but a uniform policy it's
absurd." *Ramachandra Guha, Historian*

"Can a single, uniform policy encompass our diversity, and in a federal
system such as India's?" *Kapila Vatsyayan, Ex-bureaucrat*

"Languages vanishing is a concern, but can a policy envisioned by the govt
help?" *Shyam Benegal, Filmmaker*

***

The very basic definition straddles a rather wide spectrum and in India with
its diverse traditions, art forms, languages and dialects, culture is that
much more complex. For a year, the Union ministry of culture and tourism
waited for a select committee of experts—19 in all, of which only eight have
met and that too just once—to draw up a national culture policy. But last
fortnight, in an ironic twist of sorts, the majority of them threw up their
hands. The experts conveyed their verdict to the ministry: it is not
possible to draft a uniform policy for a country like India.

In fact, members of the select committee are questioning the very wisdom in
attempting to formulate a national policy for culture. Former bureaucrat and
Rajya Sabha MP, Kapila Vatsyayan, wrote two letters to the ministry
expressing her reservations before the committee's term ended last month.
She told *Outlook*: "Can a single, uniform policy encompass the diversity of
India? Especially in a federal system such as ours, with a staggering
diversity of plural societal structures?" Adds historian Ramachandra Guha,
also a committee member: "While one can suggest ways and means to preserve
our archaeological heritage, or our manuscripts, I don't believe that a
uniform policy dictated by the government is desirable. It is absurd."

Most of the experts feel the entire move is a throwback to the '70s and
'80s, when the government became the purveyor of the arts and set the agenda
for the country through 'committees' appointed from time to time. In fact,
Vatsyayan raised the question in Parliament last week about the intentions
of the government in framing such a policy. The ministry of culture had to
assure the House that it had no intention of acting as regulator.

Many others on the panel are not sure if any credible policy can ever be
framed. Points out film director Shyam Benegal, who recalls attending just
one meeting of the committee: "It's not possible to think of a uniform
policy for the entire country. You look at the diversity and the incredible
range of our cultures and one finds that it is difficult to contain in one
culture policy...unless someone can convince me otherwise." Adds Rajeev
Sethi, the man behind Apna Utsav that took Indian folk themes overseas in
the '80s: "What does the government mean by culture? The ministry is too
minuscule a player to even set the terms for a debate on culture."

It was some 30 years ago that the government, at the behest of UNESCO,
created a template for the preservation of culture in the country. But this
had more to do with suggesting ways and means for protecting indigenous
cultures, languages, cultural diversity and natural heritage. At that point,
the "unesco-aided convention" made sense. As Vatsyayan puts it, "The '70s
was about countries coming to terms with their plural cultures and colonial
past.
  But in today's age and time, a policy does not make sense at all."

While there is a strong case for protection of indigenous cultures and
languages, the big question is whether a centralised government-dictated
policy can help. As Benegal points out, "It is a cause for concern that
languages are disappearing in the face of standardisation, but how can all
of that be contained in a policy envisioned by the government?" He believes
the most the government can do is set aside funds for institutions to
preserve indigenous culture and languages. This cannot be addressed by a
policy document.

However, there are members like Sethi who, while stating that it would be
desirable to have a preamble which will serve as template, say it's time
India recognises culture as serious business and not something revolving
around just song-and-dance. Sethi, who submitted a report       *Most
experts feel the move is a throwback to the '70s—the Centre as purveyor of
the arts, setting the agenda through its 'committees'.*       on 'creative
and cultural industry' to the Planning Commission, is dismayed that the 11th
Plan finds no mention of culture. He is also concerned that there is no
serious dialogue on culture.

Sethi feels India is in the enviable position of having a large variety of
living, skill-based traditions and equally a huge number of highly versatile
creative people. He suggests that if culture were to be channelised
properly, it could make deep inroads into the global market. "If we don't do
it now, we will have missed the bus," he says. But while Sethi puts forward
his plea of treating culture as an industry to fit in with the new global
world, he is nowhere suggesting a uniform policy for the country. "There
should only be a template, a cloth for anyone to cut his coat with" is how
he puts it.

For the moment, the ministry is putting up a brave front. A senior official
says the committee may be given an extension to give the members an
opportunity to deliberate further. "The majority view does not mean all of
them have said no," he told *Outlook*. If in a year the committee met just
once, then it's anybody's guess whether an extension may help. Call that
culture.

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20071217&fname=Culture+%28F%29&sid=1&pn=2
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