Renowned Hindi poet Rajesh Joshi returns the Akademi award: Condemns religious

As the tribe of writers who are returning Sahitya Akademi awards to protest against intolerance is increasing, numerous BJP politicians have criticised the move. As of Wednesday, as many as 25 writers from across the country, had returned their Sahitya Akademi awards.

Rajasthani litterateur Nand Bhardwaj said he has returned his Akademi award, accusing the literary body of failing to protect the rights of writers. Most of the dissident Akademi members have expressed disappointment over the murder of rationalist MM Kalburgi, while others have alleged an ideological war launched by the staunch right-wing against them. In the letter sent by him to the Academy, Bhardwaj said, “There is growing concern among writers and intelligentsia against attacks and killing by hardline communal forces and the failure of Sahitya Akademi to stand up for them (writers)”. A few of them feel that the recent lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri area on suspicion of eating beef showed that a communal atmosphere was being built up.

“It’s not just the Finance Minister blaming the writers, but it is also the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat who said that (yeh log secular logo ke haatho mein khel rahe hai)the writers are playing into the hands of secularist”.

Unlike their counterparts who’re returning awards towards the polarised environment and murders of rationalists in current previous, these litterateurs need the Akademi to formally condemn “the menace to their elementary rights” and are wanting ahead to the assembly of the literary physique’s government council on October 23.

Other writers present at the press briefing included Nagesh Karmali, Meena Kakodkar, Hema Naik, Dilip Borkar, Prakash Padgaonkar and Arun Sakhardande.

Speaking his mind in an interview to Indian Express, Ghosh “appreciated the courage” of writers who had returned their Sahitya Akademi awards.

Akademi can only confer awards and has no provision to take it back from writers.

“Several incidents occurred in the country from the time they received the award…” If the people are not secular, then they do not deserve to live in this country,”Alvi added”.

“Many prominent Malayalam writers including M T Vasudevan Nair, Paul Zacharia and Sugathakumari have not returned their Akademi honours”.