CONTOURS OF OUR COMPOSITE CULTURE 41 a Muslim divine, or the killing of innocent citizens at the hands of terrorist gangs aided and abetted by Pakistani ISI, or the cries of Jehad now heard frequently from across the border. It is an alarming situation. The cultural sphere, which has all along been comparatively free from narrow sectarian attitudes, in which our writers, artists, media persons etc, have worked hitherto in a liberal, congenial atmosphere, is threatened with the virus of communalism. Otherwise, how can one explain that an artist of the stature and eminence of M.F. Hussain should be so harassed? Or a veteran film personality like Dilip Kumar, one of our topmost and highly respected film stars should be humiliated? There has, only recently, been an attack on SAHMAT activists in Lucknow. What sort of image of our cultural life are we projecting by such acts? It is a menacing situation. Yet, I am convinced that it is not easy to disrupt a democratic polity which has struck roots in India. A riot takes place only when it is engineered. It is only under external provocations that communal eruptions occur. Even in our relations with Pakistan there is no dearth of goodwill at the level of the people. Besides, at a time when distances are shrinking and technology is forcing people to come closer, to create rifts and dissensions is retrogressive, it is an attempt to put the clock back. At such a time however, my mind perforce turns to the cultural workers, and to the inspiring role that cultural organisations like the IPTA had once played. Premchand had once written that cultural workers are not the camp followers but the torch bearers of society. I am confident that they will rise to the occasion, and using all possible avenues of expression, play their laudable role in strengthening the forces of secularism. To save secularism is to save India.