In South Asia, "any act becomes political, even silence"
In 60 Minutes/ 3rd talk
S.D. Muni said: “I wrote a book in 1983 named SARC, with on “A” because then the Association was not yet formed. Two years later when SAARC was formed, they handed us a depoliticized SAARC. They didn’t realize that Marx stands upside down in South Asia.” “Politicize SAARC.”
The Afghan-French author of The Patience Stone Atiq Rahimi wrote: "...in Iran just as well as in Afghanistan (and perhaps South Asia) words defy tyranny... the existential problem isn't "to be or not to be …" but to say or not to say... Thus, any act becomes political. Even silence. Even lies... The problem lies in each of us, because our hearts are sealed... So should we still doubt the political dimension of literature? I’d say NO, because literature is a fight against all political systems. It is the power of words against the words of power."
Originally written for and published on the Summit Blog.