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Topic: Behzti

	Guardian \| Sikhs are the real losers from Behzti
		The cancellation of the play Behzti (Dishonour) following protests by Sikhs in Birmingham was not, as a Sikh spokesperson claimed, without winners or losers.
		Marginal groups, like the Southall Black Sisters, have long complained of physical abuse within minority ethnic communities; only last week a Sikh father was sentenced for plotting to kill his daughter who, according to him, had brought disgrace on the family by marrying a Jew.
		Behzti is thus symptomatic not only of a fatal attraction between third-rate talent and British libertarianism with a penchant for titillating tales of minority voyeurism; it is, above all, the playing out of community traumas in public.
	www.guardian.co.uk /print/0,3858,5091976-110428,00.html (767 words)

	The Hindu : Opinion / Leader Page Articles : Satanic Verses to Behzti
		The play, Behzti (Dishonour), was billed by Birmingham's Repertory Theatre as a "fl comedy that reveals just how many secrets can be hidden in a Sikh temple" but even before anyone had a chance to see the play it was pulled.
		Substitute Bhatti for Rushdie and Behzti for Satanic Verses and it would almost seem as though, in a seamless continuum, Sikhs have taken over from where the Muslims left off in 1989 creating a sense that somehow intolerance is unique to the genetic make-up of immigrants from the subcontinent.
		Eventually, however, the point is not whether Behzti truly and faithfully depicts certain events but whether in a civilised society there are other ways of reacting to contentious works of art and literature than burning them and threatening to shoot their creators.
	www.hindu.com /2004/12/31/stories/2004123101441000.htm (1089 words)

	Writer in hiding as violence closes Sikh play \| \| Guardian Unlimited Arts
		Birmingham's Repertory Theatre after its controversial play Behzti was cancelled on safety grounds, and writer Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti fled her home.
		Threats of abduction and murder last night drove a playwright into hiding, hours after her controversial drama was axed due to violent protests by members of the Sikh community.
		Last night would have been Behzti's first perfor mance since it was halted on Saturday night as 400 protesters tried to storm the building, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and injuring three police officers.
	arts.guardian.co.uk /news/story/0,11711,1377927,00.html (754 words)

	SACW \| Hullabaloo over the English play Behzti
		Behzti (Dishonour) was her second work for Birmingham and, like its predecessor, has been published by Oberon Books.
		So here we publish the key scene from Behzti, the work at the centre of the furore Min is the frumpy daughter of Balbir Kaur.
		In this extract from Behzti - Dishonour - we find mother and daughter heading towards the local Sikh temple, the gurdwara, where Balbir is intent on marrying off Min with the help of Mr Sandhu.
	www.insaf.net /pipermail/sacw_insaf.net/2004/002063.html (6953 words)

	BBC NEWS \| England \| West Midlands \| Theatre ends play in Sikh protest
		Protesters said Behzti, which depicts sex abuse and murder in a temple, portrayed the Sikh faith negatively.
		Mr Rogers said: "The theatre vigorously defends its right to produce Behzti and other similar high-quality plays that deal with contemporary issues in a multicultural society.
		Behzti, which translates as "dishonour", was written by a young female Sikh, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatt, and was said to have been inoffensive to many younger Sikhs.
	news.bbc.co.uk /1/hi/england/west_midlands/4112105.stm (500 words)

	Amardeep Singh: Behzti: Sikh Community in Birmingham, UK in Uproar
		Here is a link to a review he sent me, and here is some basic information about the play.
		Behzti is currently showing at the Birmingham Rep theatre and is set in a Sikh Gurdwara (Temple).
		Behzti is a play about corruption (and presumably, pedophilia) amongst senior management in a Sikh temple (Gurdwara).
	www.lehigh.edu /~amsp/2004/12/behzti-sikh-community-in-birmingham-uk.html (828 words)

	Behzti \| \| Guardian Unlimited Arts
		Behzti, the play which depicted a rape in a Sikh temple, provoked violent protests and thousands of pounds of damage at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre over the weekend of December 18-19 2004.
		The theatre was forced to cancel the play on safety grounds and playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti fled into hiding after receiving death threats.
		21 Dec 2004 Behzti saga likened to Rushdie affair for Sikhs in Britain.
	arts.guardian.co.uk /behzti/0,,1379671,00.html (529 words)

	Behzti-Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti
		The violent protests that led to the closure of the controversial play Behzti were the result of a failed attempt to work with Sikh community leaders............
		Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's "Behzti" (Dishonour) prompted a riot by 400 Sikhs outside the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in central England over the weekend, forcing organisers to cancel the show.
		Five policemen were hurt as hundreds of Sikhs stormed a theatre here to protest a play depicting sex abuse and murder in a gurdwara.
	www.nriinternet.com /ENTERTAINMENT/DRAMA/Behzti/index.htm (605 words)

	The Telegraph - Calcutta : Nation
		London, Dec. 25 (PTI): Sikh leaders in Britain have appealed for withdrawal of the death threats against Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, the writer of the controversial play Behzti (Dishonour), who is now in hiding.
		Behzti was being staged at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre but was stopped after violent protests from some members of the Sikh community.
		The play featured sexual abuse, kissing, dancing, homosexuality and murder in a gurdwara, which is said to have infuriated many Sikhs.
	www.telegraphindia.com /1041226/asp/nation/story_4175515.asp (321 words)

	After 'Behzti' its time for Mujra at London theatre
		London: Birmingham Rep Theatre, the scene of riots following the staging of a controversial Sikh play Behzti (dishonour), now plans to stage a new drama showing the seamy side "mujra", a decadent culture of dance and song, with sexual exploitation of girls.
		The theatre had become a battleground shortly before Christmas last year (2004) on the question of staging the Sikh play "Behzti", a fl comedy depicting rape and murder in a Sikh temple.
		For several nights, angry Sikhs protested against "Behzti" alleging it had grossly insulted their religion before storming the Birmingham Rep, leading to cancellation of the show and its female playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti went into a hiding after receiving death threats.
	news.indiainfo.com /2005/03/22/2203mujra.html (518 words)

	An Anatomy of Censorship: Media Censorship as Misguided Fear
		According to varying news reports, due to violence during the protest and due to the issuing of death threats by certain protestors, the play was cancelled, Bhatti has gone into hiding, and for the time being, censorship seems to have won.
		Similarly, because communities are rather selective in deciding what to ban, examining how and why one text is chosen over another, or why a community mobilizes to protest one piece of art or not another, although interesting, will also not lead us very far.
		Shocking and powerful images may be disturbing, but that is a weak reason to ban them; rather, because censorship threatens the value of free speech, we could learn how to process difficult images and understand our own personal limits in handling potentially disturbing depictions.
	www.sikhspectrum.com /022005/behzti_s.htm (2786 words)

	Britain: Closure of the play Behzti in Birmingham
		Their refusal to rule out violence and consequently force its closure is quite another.
		The cheering thing about the debate that preceded the opening of Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s fl comedy Behzti at Birmingham Rep theatre, was that it was held at all.
		I wrote Behzti because I passionately oppose injustice and hypocrisy.” She has recieved threats from members of Brirmigham's Sikh community and is now in hiding.
	www.indexonline.org /en/news/articles/2004/4/britain-closure-of-the-play-behzti-in-birmin.shtml (1116 words)

	Re: Some thoughts on the play Behzti
		'Behzti' writes fiction about me and my beliefs in the form of a play then it is supported by liberals like you.
		And there is an approval from you for 'Behzti' and you say that we should support her play financially and we must apologise to her.
		As far as your concept of being a Gandhi is concerned, well you may feel it to be an ideal situation but I do not.
	www.sikhnet.com /sikhnet/discussion.nsf/78f5a2ff8906d1788725657c00732d6c/4129D5062951918687256F82006698C5!OpenDocument (631 words)

	Pickled Politics » Re-visiting Behzti: from a different perspective
		Behzti is a clumsy patch-work quilt with weak and hurried stitching.
		The entire Behzti incident was for Britain both a disaster and welcome exposure of hypocrisy.
		They support ‘the minorities’ when angry (a Welsh example also given), but would not extend the same courtesy to English playwrights etc. The same applies to the government, which behaved (and I agree) almost patronisingly towards what was simply mob rule.
	www.pickledpolitics.com /archives/302 (2220 words)

	Asians In Media magazine \| Behzti (dishonour) by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti - reviewed
		When they arrive at the Gurdwara, with Elvis - their fl home-helper, all sorts of deep and ugly secrets are unleashed giving the audience something to really think about.
		Behzti examines complex relationships between people in society.
		Everyone clearly warmed to Yasmin and found her equally as entertaining as Pooja Kumar and Harvey Virdi who were a hilarious duo and definitely mastered Punjabi female mannerisms and humour.
	www.asiansinmedia.org /news/article.php/theatre/735 (651 words)

	Khaleej Times Online - Behind ‘Behzti’
		The Sikh community’s reaction to Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s play ‘Behzti’ illustrate this.
		The Sikhs zealously maintain the sanctity of the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, while being happy to engage with criticism of other aspects of our religion.
		‘Behzti’’s theme is sexual and financial abuse, using Sikh characters.
	www.khaleejtimes.com /displayArticle.asp?col=§ion=opinion&xfile=data/opinion/2005/January/opinion_January35.xml (844 words)

	BBC NEWS \| Entertainment \| Arts \| Author defends Sikh protest play
		A British writer forced into hiding after violent protests by Sikhs led to the cancellation of her play has broken her silence and defended her work.
		Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti has received death threats over her play Behzti, depicting rape and murder in a Sikh temple.
		She said that since the play's cancellation she had received messages of support from other artists, fellow Sikhs and many other people across the world.
	news.bbc.co.uk /1/hi/entertainment/4170297.stm (563 words)

	The Stage / Features / Behzti controversy
		I should like to comment on the Behzti affair, as its discussion develops in the pages of The Stage.
		Saleh Mohammad is wrong to believe that freedom of expression does not give the right to insult, ridicule and be “blasphemous” (Opinion, January 13, page 6).
		There is in fact no such thing as a “banned” play, not Behzti or Lady Chatterley’s Lover or the Earl of Rochester’s Sodom, which distasteful work may now be performed.
	www.thestage.co.uk /features/feature.php/6296 (443 words)

	The Sikh Times - News and Analysis - Sikhs Raid Theater to Protest Behzti
		This the wrong city for it to be staged." The Scotsman reported, "The executive director of the Birmingham Rep., Stuart Rogers, said the decision to scrap planned productions of Behzti had been taken solely to ensure public safety.
		Thousands of Sikhs from all over Britain are threatening to converge on the theatre tonight if the play, Behzti (Dishonour), which was written by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, continues its sold-out run.
		Bhatti said she had been advised not to comment because of threats which had been made to her but referred The Independent to the foreword of her play, in which she wrote: 'I believe that drama should be provocative and relevant.
	www.sikhtimes.com /news_122004a.html (907 words)

	Chowk: : Bhatti’s “Behzti (Dishonor)” hurts Sikh Sensitivities
		The furor is on a scene in a gurdwara depicting rape and murder.
		In the case of Behzti, it is suggested that the purported depiction of sex and murder was okay had it not taken place in a gurdwara – a holy place of worship.
		Commenting on Behzti, Gurdial Singh Atwal, a Labour Councillor and representative for the Council of Sikh Gurdwaras, said, “It has caused a great hurt and shows lack of respect.
	www.chowk.com /articles/8489 (672 words)

	The Stage / News / Arts world failed to support Behzti during protests, say cast and crew
		Leading figures from controversial Sikh play Behzti have claimed they were abandoned by the arts community when the production was forced to close by violent protests in Birmingham.
		Sharma explained: “Behzti was a disgrace to the arts establishment, who didn’t support the fact that the performance should have continued.
		Steel also pointed out that neither that writer, nor Behzti author Gurpreet Kaur Batti had had their works staged since the events.
	www.thestage.co.uk /news/newsstory.php/15138/arts-world-failed-to-support-behzti-during (569 words)

	The Stage / Features / Behzti backlash
		Sikhs in Birmingham were absolutely right to demonstrate against the Behzti play written by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, herself a Sikh.
		This perpetrator had the cheek and audacity to provoke members of her own community, drawn into actions precipitated by the writing of this offensive play, which depicts rape, murder and suicide in a gurdwara (temple).
		Those who are defending their right to produce high quality and explosive plays such as Behzti are the few who have the wrong notion of arts.
	www.thestage.co.uk /features/feature.php/6800 (324 words)

	FoolishPeople: Behzti
		An umbrella group of British Sikhs are calling for death threats made against a British playwright to be withdrawn and say they have no endorsement from their community.
		Sikh playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti went into hiding earlier this week, according to friends, after receiving death threats over her play "Behzti", which was closed after an angry riot by 400 Sikh protestors.
		They were furious that the play, staged at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in central England, featured sexual abuse, kissing and murder taking place in a gurdwara, or Sikh temple.
	www.foolishpeople.com /foolishpeople/2004/12/behzti.html (336 words)

	The Stage / News / Foster call to stage Behzti play withdrawn after author's plea
		Manager of Birmingham Stage Company Neal Foster has said the withdrawal of his call to theatres nationwide to stage simultaneous readings of controversial play Behzti was due to an 11th hour plea from its author, not a series of “blood chilling” threats that he received.
		Foster initially offered to stage Behzti at the Birmingham Old Rep theatre after the Rep cancelled its three week run but then announced plans to organise a national reading of the play in theatres throughout the country.
		When I got the threats, particularly the second one, which did physically chill my blood, I realised that if I did go ahead I would be committing myself to something that would have consequences beyond my control.
	www.thestage.co.uk /news/newsstory.php/5786 (547 words)

	SikhLionz.com: Behzti play; Gurpreet Bhatti and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
		The Behzti play caused uproar in the British Sikh community.
		The play sparked several days of non-stop peaceful protests in which literature was distributed about the Sikh religion and some of the misinformation by the play was corrected.
		Thus the absurd ignorance, blatant racism, hypocrisy and inequitable news coverage shown by many media broadcasters is apparent.
	www.sikhlionz.com /behzti.htm (1259 words)

	The Hindu : International : New turn to `Behzti' row
		LONDON: The Sikh protesters, who forced the closure of a play in Birmingham recently, have come under renewed pressure to explain their conduct after it emerged that the play had already been vetted by senior community leaders.
		The disclosure by Yasmin Wilde, who plays the victim of alleged sexual abuse in Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti's controversial play Behzti, sparked fresh criticism of violent protest groups.
		Wilde told The Guardian that several changes were made to the script following suggestions from senior members of the Sikh community who attended a dress rehearsal.
	www.hindu.com /2004/12/30/stories/2004123002101400.htm (144 words)

	OpinionJournal - Leisure & Arts
		On the 18th of this month, 1,000 enraged Sikhs stormed the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, throwing eggs, smashing windows, injuring three police officers, attempting to climb onto the stage, and successfully halting the production after it had played for 20 minutes.
		"Behzti," Punjabi for "dishonor," had aroused the mob's ire because the playwright, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, had placed its rape scene in a Sikh temple.
		Bhatti, herself a British-born Sikh, had resisted local pressure to move the incendiary action to a religiously neutral setting like a community center.
	www.opinionjournal.com /la/?id=110006080 (817 words)

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