Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'To sing or not to sing?' that was published in Newsband

To sing or not to sing?

T.M. Krishna is a leading Carnatic vocalist. His scheduled participation in a Spic Macay programme this weekend was always going to be a big draw. The programme was abruptly cancelled, after its sponsor, the Airports Authority of India, suddenly bailed out.

Did this happen because Krishna IS outspoken critic of the Narendra Modi government. Did the AAI surrender to social media threats? As a musician, Krishna has attempted to break barriers of orthodoxy, caste and class. For instance, the Magsaysay awardee favoured some Carnatic musicians who sang Christian compositions. He has also contested the structural rigidities of the Carnatic music world.

However, the Delhi government has done well to step in and organise a concert of his at another venue. The AAI may not have acted on its own. Maybe they could not stand up in the face of intolerance and intimidation.

T M Krishna has emerged as a silver lining on the edge of a dark cloud that is spreading and eclipsing the old, plural, democratic India. He is not only an innovative artiste; greater still is his role as a public intellectual-activist, who has boldly taken cudgels against 'fundamentalism'.

Krishna should sing. And Krishna should write. And Krishna should speak. Those who disagree with his views can always refrain from going to his concerts or talks or hearing or seeing his performances or his express their disagreement through the written word, but to bring about a cancellation of his concert is to deny those who either support his views or simply don't care about his politics.

Some say that his programme was cancelled not because of his attack on Narendra Modi and his government The US organisers, a Mysore sabha and now AAI cancelled his programmes due to his unnecessary and unwarranted comments on various issues including Carnatic Music. He could have desisted from all these controversies. His forte was/is Carnatic Music and he could have spent his time and energy by singing to greater heights.

Why are people complaining about such decisions one way or other? TM Krishna boycotts December season. 15 years or so back TM Krishna boycotted Hamsadhvani Sabha after accepting an invitation as they invited a HIndustani musician to preside over a function. If people or sabhas want to listen to TM Krishna they will invite. If Krishna wants to sing he will sing. Accept it the way it is and move on.