Image Courtesy: Indian Express
Democracy was an outcome of many people, mainly intellectuals fight for voice, free speech and most importantly fight against persecution from a state controlled by religion. While we are still passionate on the concept of Democracy, the intellectuals have thronged in numbers to return their prestigious and coveted Sahitya Akademi Award as a mark of protest against government’s inaction towards intolerance and failure to clamp down on fringe organisations who have broken the law of the land at will besides hijacking the identity of an inherently secular religion – Hinduism. The way a government treats and takes the intellectuals and their opinions seriously will reflect largely the commitment the government has to defending the noble values democracy stands for. The Logical Indian requests the government to recogonize and respond to the award returnees besides reaffirm its commitment to maintain rule of law. May India continue to be the most celebrated democracy in the world.
Statement made by the imminent personalities who returned their awards
“Why doesn’t he tell the nation and the writing and creating community that the pluralism of this community will be defended at every cost?”- Mr Vajpeyi
“…in this rising tide of hatred, India is being unmade, being destroyed.” – Ms Nayantara
“That we have come to a stage when the honourable Rastrapatiji had to remind the nation that these must be seen as non-negotiable foundations of India should be enough of a reason for the Sahitya Akademi to act,” – Devy
“spirit of inquiry is clearly under threat” – Aman Sethi
“I’m doing this condemning the killings of Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi, and Akademi’s silence on the issue; also against Dadri lynching.” – Kum Veerabhadrappa
“Drama is the highest form of human expression. When the government is ruthlessly suppressing freedom of expression, how can a playwright identify himself with such awards?” – Aulakh
“The tide of intolerance has risen to such a level that individuals do not have the freedom to eat what they like or to love a person of their choice,” – Sara Joseph
“ Annihilation should never be allowed to replace argument that is the very essence of democracy.” – Satchidanandan
