Karanth-Vibha case: Waves of protest in Bhopal

NK SINGH

A wave of anger seemed to sweep through Bhopal, in the wake of the exposure of what appeared to be the tip of a sensational sex scandal involving, among others, Mr. B.V. Karanth, Director of Madhya Pradesh Rang Mandal, the State Government- backed repertory, and Chairman of the M.P. Film Development Corporation.

The 57-year-old bearded and renowned theatre director, a recipient of Padma Shree in 1981, was arrested on Sunday night on the charge of attempting to burn to death 27-year-old Ms Vibha Mishra, the heroine of his drama troupe. The pretty Vibha's condition is reported to be critical.

The town's indignation at the "sex-ploitation of female artists" at Bharat Bhawan was reflected on Tuesday in the forms of a day-long dharna by women in front of the State Government's prestigious multi-arts complex, a rally brought out by artists, writers, poets and female activists and a flood of statements issued by scores of social, cultural and women's organisations.

Several organisations demanded that the police and the State Government disclose the names of the senior IAS officers, who were reportedly revealed in the letters seized during the search of Ms Vibha Misra's house after she was allegedly set ablaze by her paramour, Mr Karanth.

These literary and cultural organisations, mostly amateur drama troupes, wanted the Government to ensure that these senior officers would not influence the course of the inquiry.

They demanded a high-level inquiry because the incident appeared to be the tip of "a major sex scandal involving ruling politicians and senior bureaucrats".

Dharna to save culture: A group of women led by a Sarvodaya worker, Ms. Champa Behn, sat on a day-long dharna in front of Bharat Bhawan on Tuesday, to demand the closure of the sprawling multi-arts complex, "to save culture".

The women, who also called on Chief Minister Motilal Vora, asked if the running of the institution could alternatively be handed over to "qualified women".

Several literary, cultural and women's organisations took out a rally, consisting of women, several of them clad in burqas, in new Bhopal, and held a demonstration in front of Bharat Bhawan.

They also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, demanding a state takeover of the arts complex, which is currently run by a trust, and an inquiry by a High Court judge into its affairs.

The organisations included the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Vigyan Sabha, Janawadi Lekhak Sangh and Sutradhar.

The Students Federation of India also organised a sit-in to demand closure of the "symbol of the decadent imperialist culture, run with the help of Ford Foundation money".

It also demanded the dismissal of Bharat Bhawan's trustee-secretary Mr Ashok Vajpeyi, who is a senior IAS officer and Culture Secretary of the State Government.

The organising secretary of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Bhupendra Gupta, demanded that Karanth's Padma Shree should be withdrawn.

Scores of other organisations also issued statements, condemning the incident and demanding a thorough probe into the affairs of the Bharat Bhawan, "the den of debauchery for certain politicians and senior IAS officers".

Earlier in the day, talking to a group of newsmen, Chief Minister Motilal Vora, said he has asked the Chief Secretary to examine the whole issue and he will shortly look into the demands. "No one had complained to me about the trust's running till now," he said.

Besides Mr Ashok Vajpeyi, the other trustees are: painter J. Swaminathan, Mrs. Pupul Jayakar, painter Krishen Khanna, dramatist Habib Tanveer, vocalist Kumar Gandharva, filmmaker Mani Kaul and dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy.

The eleventh trustee, poet and Congress-I MP, Shrikant Verma, died in the USA this week.

The Chief Minister denied here that the police were under pressure from "influential persons" to hush up the case. The police, he told a group of newsmen, were taking all action to bring the culprit to book.

However, he said the Government was still examining the question of Karanth's removal from the chairmanship of the Film Development Corporation.

"We will take a decision soon," he said.

Karanth has not resigned either from the Film Development Corporation, Rang Mandal or Bharat Bhawan, so far.

Meanwhile reports from Bhopal Central Jail said the VIP prisoner has been kept in the prison hospital as his hands are burnt. He is being looked after by other prisoners as both his hands are in bandages. "I slept well last night after two days," he told a jail official who called on him.

The incident took place on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mr Kailash Joshi, Leader of the Opposition in the MP Vidhan Sabha has demanded a thorough reorganisation of Bharat Bhavan in view of the Vibha Mishra incident.

He told newsmen that even in the past, there had been "unscrupulous incidents" and these were brought to the notice of the State Government, but no action had been taken.

He said the Bharat Bhavan now stood maligned and what was needed was to associate genuine artists dedicated to art with it. There was no dearth of such artists in Madhya Pradesh, he added.

Indian Express

May 28, 1986