DMK President Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi on Oct 13 said it was highly condemnable that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the Centre had come out with an explanation even after so many writers across the country returned their Sahitya Akademi awards to express their protest against the killing of Kannada writer M.M. Kulburgi. Assailing the attacks on freedom of expression and the long cherished and preserved cultural diversity of India, Kalaignar said the indifference of those wielding power to prevent them is not only injustice but will also amount to a black chapter in history.
In a statement on Oct 13, Kalaignar said on learning that Sahitya Akademi awarded Kannada writer M.M. Kalburgi was shot dead by some fanatics in August last he had condemned the attack on freedom of expression.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh announced compensation of Rs. 45 lakhs to the family of senior citizen Akhlaq who was beaten to death by a mob for allegedly cooking and consuming beef in Dadri village. Condemning the killings of writer M.K.Kalburgi, social activist and rationalist propagandists Govind Basasare and Narendra Dabholkar, the sister of India’s first Prime Minister and first woman President of the UN General Assembly Vijyalakshmi Pandit’s daughter and famous writer Nayantara Sahgal on Oct 6 returned the Sahitya Akademi Award presented to her in 1986 for her English novel “Rich like us’ in protest against what she called the vanishing space and against unleashing of violence against those expressing contradictory views. Referring to the recent killings of rationalists and writers M.M. Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and of Dadri resident Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched on suspicion of consuming beef, Sahgal said: “…in this rising tide of hatred, India is being unmade, being destroyed.” Ms. Sahgal said she was concerned at the environment in the country and it seemed to be getting “worse and worse” in the past 15 months. She criticised the government’s inaction and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence. “In all these cases, justice drags its feet. The Prime Minister remains silent on this reign of terror. We must assume he dare not alienate evil-doers who support his ideology,” she said.
Following Nayantara, former chairman of Lalit Kala Academy and poet Ashok Vajpeyi returned Sahitya Academi award accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintaining silence on the killings of rationalists and Dadri incident and the Akademi failing to protest for defending the freedom of writers.
Following them noted woman writer Shashi Deshpande resigned from the Sahitya Akademi General Council, saying she is “deeply distressed by the silence of the Akademi on the murder of Professor M M Kalburgi”.
Urdu novelist Rahman Abbas returned the Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Akademy Award as a mark of protest against the Dadri lynching incident.
Following writers Chandrasekara Patil, Uday Prakash, Nayantara Shahgal, poet Ashok Vajpeyi and Urdu novelist Rahman Abbas, noted Malayalam novelist Sarah Joseph said she has decided to return her Kendra Sahitya Academy award and cash prize of Rs.50,000 in protest against the ‘terror-like’ situation prevailing in the country. She had bagged the academy award in 2003 for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God, the father). Moreover, in line with three eminent writers from Punjab, Gurbachan Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh and Atamjit Singh, Gujarat-based literary critic and author Ganesh N. Devy, Aman Sethi,
The latest string of protests took to 15 the number of writers who have returned their awards to the Akademi since Hindi writer Uday Prakash first did so last month over the killing of Kalburgi. Also, Kannada author Aravind Malagatti submitted his resignation from the Akademi’s General Council. Those who returned their awards included Hindi poets Mangalesh Dabral and Rajesh Joshi; Vadodara-based Ganesh Devy; Konkani writer N Shivdas; Kannada writer Kum Veerabhadrappa; and Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Atamjit Singh and Waryam Singh Sandhu from Punjab. This list keeps growing day by day.
Former Academi secretary and poet K. Satchidanandan announced his decision to resign his membership in all committees of the Akademi as the Akademi has ‘failed in its duty to stand with the writers and to uphold freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution’.
Subhash Chandran, who had won the Sahitya Akademi award last year for his novel Manushyanu Oru Aamukham, told a TV channel that he was also thinking in terms of returning the award and would take a decision in a day or two. Short story writer P.K. Parakkadavu, member of the Sahitya Akademi General Council, said he is resigning his membership in the council with immediate effect.
Booker winner Salman Rushdie has supported writers who have returned their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest, claiming “alarming times for free expression in India”. Sixteen Sahitya Akademi award winning Tamil writers have condemned the Akademi for not adequately condemning the killing of Kannada writer M.K. Kalburgi and its failure to bring pressure on the Centre to protect freedom of expression. They are Indira Parthasarathy, K. Rajanarayanan, Ponneelan, Prabanchan, Ashokamitran, Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, ‘Kavikko’ Abdul Rahman, Vairamuthu, Erode Tamilanban, Mu. Metha, Melanmai Ponnusamy, Puviarasu, Nanjil Nadan, Su. Venkatesan, D. Selvaraj and Poomani.
“It is regrettable and condemnable that even after so many developments, there was no clarification or response statement from Prime Minister Modi or the Centre. Without thinking that there is no connection between politics and protection of freedom of expression, the Centre should conduct with the view that defence of freedom of expression is only democratic concept. It seems the administration of Sahitya Akademi believes that it would be embarrassing for the Centre if any opinion is expressed on the return of awards. However there are reports today that the emergency meeting of Sahitya Akademi would be held on 23rd. Though it was widely believed when the BJP assumed power at the Centre that they would keep away from their old Hidutva path, on witnessing the recent incidents and actions, it is very obvious for neutral people that those in responsible positions are keeping mum and indifferent even at times when they had to react. The attacks on freedom of expression and diversity of culture and the indifference of those wielding power to prevent them is not only injustice but will also amount to a black chapter in history”, Kalaignar said.
In a statement on Oct 13, Kalaignar said on learning that Sahitya Akademi awarded Kannada writer M.M. Kalburgi was shot dead by some fanatics in August last he had condemned the attack on freedom of expression.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh announced compensation of Rs. 45 lakhs to the family of senior citizen Akhlaq who was beaten to death by a mob for allegedly cooking and consuming beef in Dadri village. Condemning the killings of writer M.K.Kalburgi, social activist and rationalist propagandists Govind Basasare and Narendra Dabholkar, the sister of India’s first Prime Minister and first woman President of the UN General Assembly Vijyalakshmi Pandit’s daughter and famous writer Nayantara Sahgal on Oct 6 returned the Sahitya Akademi Award presented to her in 1986 for her English novel “Rich like us’ in protest against what she called the vanishing space and against unleashing of violence against those expressing contradictory views. Referring to the recent killings of rationalists and writers M.M. Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and of Dadri resident Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched on suspicion of consuming beef, Sahgal said: “…in this rising tide of hatred, India is being unmade, being destroyed.” Ms. Sahgal said she was concerned at the environment in the country and it seemed to be getting “worse and worse” in the past 15 months. She criticised the government’s inaction and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence. “In all these cases, justice drags its feet. The Prime Minister remains silent on this reign of terror. We must assume he dare not alienate evil-doers who support his ideology,” she said.
Following Nayantara, former chairman of Lalit Kala Academy and poet Ashok Vajpeyi returned Sahitya Academi award accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintaining silence on the killings of rationalists and Dadri incident and the Akademi failing to protest for defending the freedom of writers.
Following them noted woman writer Shashi Deshpande resigned from the Sahitya Akademi General Council, saying she is “deeply distressed by the silence of the Akademi on the murder of Professor M M Kalburgi”.
Urdu novelist Rahman Abbas returned the Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Akademy Award as a mark of protest against the Dadri lynching incident.
Following writers Chandrasekara Patil, Uday Prakash, Nayantara Shahgal, poet Ashok Vajpeyi and Urdu novelist Rahman Abbas, noted Malayalam novelist Sarah Joseph said she has decided to return her Kendra Sahitya Academy award and cash prize of Rs.50,000 in protest against the ‘terror-like’ situation prevailing in the country. She had bagged the academy award in 2003 for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God, the father). Moreover, in line with three eminent writers from Punjab, Gurbachan Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh and Atamjit Singh, Gujarat-based literary critic and author Ganesh N. Devy, Aman Sethi,
The latest string of protests took to 15 the number of writers who have returned their awards to the Akademi since Hindi writer Uday Prakash first did so last month over the killing of Kalburgi. Also, Kannada author Aravind Malagatti submitted his resignation from the Akademi’s General Council. Those who returned their awards included Hindi poets Mangalesh Dabral and Rajesh Joshi; Vadodara-based Ganesh Devy; Konkani writer N Shivdas; Kannada writer Kum Veerabhadrappa; and Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, Ajmer Singh Aulakh, Atamjit Singh and Waryam Singh Sandhu from Punjab. This list keeps growing day by day.
Former Academi secretary and poet K. Satchidanandan announced his decision to resign his membership in all committees of the Akademi as the Akademi has ‘failed in its duty to stand with the writers and to uphold freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution’.
Subhash Chandran, who had won the Sahitya Akademi award last year for his novel Manushyanu Oru Aamukham, told a TV channel that he was also thinking in terms of returning the award and would take a decision in a day or two. Short story writer P.K. Parakkadavu, member of the Sahitya Akademi General Council, said he is resigning his membership in the council with immediate effect.
Booker winner Salman Rushdie has supported writers who have returned their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest, claiming “alarming times for free expression in India”. Sixteen Sahitya Akademi award winning Tamil writers have condemned the Akademi for not adequately condemning the killing of Kannada writer M.K. Kalburgi and its failure to bring pressure on the Centre to protect freedom of expression. They are Indira Parthasarathy, K. Rajanarayanan, Ponneelan, Prabanchan, Ashokamitran, Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, ‘Kavikko’ Abdul Rahman, Vairamuthu, Erode Tamilanban, Mu. Metha, Melanmai Ponnusamy, Puviarasu, Nanjil Nadan, Su. Venkatesan, D. Selvaraj and Poomani.
“It is regrettable and condemnable that even after so many developments, there was no clarification or response statement from Prime Minister Modi or the Centre. Without thinking that there is no connection between politics and protection of freedom of expression, the Centre should conduct with the view that defence of freedom of expression is only democratic concept. It seems the administration of Sahitya Akademi believes that it would be embarrassing for the Centre if any opinion is expressed on the return of awards. However there are reports today that the emergency meeting of Sahitya Akademi would be held on 23rd. Though it was widely believed when the BJP assumed power at the Centre that they would keep away from their old Hidutva path, on witnessing the recent incidents and actions, it is very obvious for neutral people that those in responsible positions are keeping mum and indifferent even at times when they had to react. The attacks on freedom of expression and diversity of culture and the indifference of those wielding power to prevent them is not only injustice but will also amount to a black chapter in history”, Kalaignar said.
Thanks for dmk political details...
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