41 Writers Return Indian Award, Cite Climate of Intolerance

[Dubious]

• By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
  

NEW DELHI — Oct 14, 2015, 4:38 AM ET

Dozens of writers have returned India's highest literary honor to protest what they call a growing climate of intolerance in the country since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government took office.

As of Wednesday, 41 novelists, essayists, playwrights and poets had returned the awards they received from India's prestigious literary academy, saying they cannot remain silent about numerous incidents of communal violence or attacks on intellectuals across the country over the past year.

The writers, who write in English as well as regional languages, are also angry that India's National Academy of Letters has said little about the attack on the well-known rationalist Malleshappa Kalburgi, an award-winning writer in the Kannada language gunned down in August for his writings against superstition and false beliefs.

Internationally renowned novelist Salman Rushdie, who was born in Mumbai, has come out strongly in support of the Indian writers, saying the government's silence is allowing a new "degree of thuggish violence" in India.

The government has dismissed the writers' protests, questioning their motives and accusing them of being politically motivated.

"If they say they are unable to write, let them stop writing," Mahesh Sharma, India's minister for culture, told reporters, further aggravating the writers.

What has angered the writers is the growing climate of intolerance and the curbs on free speech to which they say they cannot remain mute spectators.

"It's become a question of an individual's right to speak, to think, to write, to eat, to dress, to debate," said Maya Krishna Rao, a playwright and theater actress, who returned her award to the academy this week.


41 Writers Return Indian Award, Cite Climate of Intolerance - ABC News

 

[jamahir]

this all is contrary to what the sanghis on pdf would say about india being happy under bjp government... in a way this is good, the intellectuals are waking after a long dormant sleep.

but speak up, modi... beyond making nationalistic rhetoric, you are silent on all the issues that any sensible person must speak about, vociferously.

bjp government must go... no place in the world for reactionaries.

 

[Star Wars]

They should stop writing too, would do their readers a favor..

 

[[Bregs]]

This trend of returning govt's awards by writers from different states of different languages is not good for the overall image of govt. these actions do not seems to be guided by any party ideology

 

[jamahir]

They should stop writing too, would do their readers a favor..

ya, we all should instead read the religious fantasies of rss and its "high intellects" like dinanath batra and koenraad elst.

 

[Star Wars]

ya, we all should instead read the religious fantasies of rss and its "high intellects" like dinanath batra and koenraad elst.

that would be better than the opportunistic BS they are engaging in.. As much as a big issue these people are trying to make, nobody really gives a damn about them...

 

[jamahir]

that would be better than the opportunistic BS they are engaging in.. As much as a big issue these people are trying to make, nobody really gives a damn about them...

such a nice world-view you have... kill the progressives/rationalists, demean the sensible writers/dramatists and let loose the cranks.

taap kilaas !!

these actions do not seems to be guided by any party ideology

good observation.

 

[Star Wars]

such a nice world-view you have... kill the progressives/rationalists, demean the sensible writers/dramatists and let loose the cranks.

taap kilaas !!

Most of these incidents have happened in congress or SP ruled states, but of course blame Sanghi's instead of the failing law and order in these states. I don't need to demean these writers, they have done that themselves because of their selective outrage. They must be either intellectually bankrupt or deliberately Lying if they really have to believe into the "intolarance" BS. Both good reasons not to ever read what they are writing...

 

[jamahir]

Most of these incidents have happened in congress or SP ruled states

sure, but that is besides the point.

but of course blame Sanghi's instead of the failing law and order in these states.

don't we see regular "moral policing" in mangalore now ( karnataka being congress-ruled )??

okay, there are "muslim" groups involved now in this anti-human behaviour but the seeds were sown by the sangh and are majorly the work of the sangh at present... i don't see why indian military/paramilitary are not raiding these criminals.

I don't need to demean these writers, they have done that themselves because of their selective outrage.

selective how??

They must be either intellectually bankrupt or deliberately Lying if they really have to believe into the "intolarance" BS. Both good reasons not to ever read what they are writing...

sorry but since when did india become a socialist paradise not to have right-wing intolerance??

 

[Android]

I won a school drawing competition in class 5, planning to return the award to oppose growing intelerance.

 

[haviZsultan]

Even their writers have more honor than ours. Returning awards from a government that has increased religious tensions. I don't remember any of our authors returning awards from politicians or Yousuf Raza Gillani for their corruption and misgovernance. In some things we seriously need to learn from the eastern state. There is a veneer of secular, liberal thought alive there though weak. We do not even protest anything from our idiotic government. Daily terror and no resignations.

India can oppress local religions all they want but many of them, they are by far more liberal than us in their outlook. We need to learn some of that.

 

[Star Wars]

sure, but that is besides the point.
don't we see regular "moral policing" in mangalore now ( karnataka being congress-ruled )??

okay, there are "muslim" groups involved now in this anti-human behaviour but the seeds were sown by the sangh and are majorly the work of the sangh at present... i don't see why indian military/paramilitary are not raiding these criminals.

lol, now you are talking about Bajrang Dal and those morons ? ,but ofcourse moral policing can be done on Hindus, "don't celibate Diwali, Don't celibrate Holi, insult Hindus and their traditions and festivals. Complain about noise pollution in Navaratri.. But of course, intolerance against Hindus aren't counted. lol, have you even noticed how these Elitist intellectuals behave against those with different opinions ? especially those who support Modi.. ? They look at us with disgust to the extent of calling us "stinking" "unpad" etc...

 

[Dubious]

intelerance

RIP English....

 

[haviZsultan]

lol, now you are talking about Bajrang Dal and those morons ? ,but ofcourse moral policing can be done on Hindus, "don't celibate Diwali, Don't celibrate Holi, insult Hindus and their traditions and festivals. Complain about noise pollution in Navaratri.. But of course, intolerance against Hindus aren't counted. lol, have you even noticed how these Elitist intellectuals behave against those with different opinions ? especially those who support Modi.. ? They look at us with disgust to the extent of calling us "stinking" "unpad" etc...

I have seen far more intolerance coming from the Sangh and their supporters than liberals of every stripe and colour. What they stand for is freedom of speech. India's unwritten illicit version of the blasphemy law.

 

[Star Wars]

I have seen far more intolerance coming from the Sangh and their supporters than liberals of every stripe and colour. What they stand for is freedom of speech. India's unwritten illicit version of the blasphemy law.

Ok, name each issue one by one and i will gladly disprove each of these one by one, because each and every issue they point out is concocted nonsense and one sided reporting..