Tata Lit Live Fest Cancels Discussion Featuring Noam Chomsky, Vijay Prashad To Protect Integrity Of Event

Supported by

The Tata Literature Live festival on Saturday, November 21, explained that its event, featuring academic-activists Noam Chomsky and Vijay Prashad was called off to ‘protect the integrity of the festival’. Both the academicians had expressed regret at the cancellation of the discussion.

Anil Dharker, the festival’s founder and director, said that the decision was necessary to protect the ‘integrity of the festival’.

Dharker said that on the morning of the session, he was informed that some activists were likely to use the session to make a statement. ‘Some participants said they would speak about how they feel about corporations such as the Tatas, and the Tatas in particular, including airing the views of these activists,’ Dharker said, adding that this was never the intended purpose of the session.

‘What I do want to state as strongly as possible is that the festival which I founded and run with a dedicated team, owes its success to a free expression of ideas, not a free expression of someone’s specific agenda,’ Dharker added. ‘The expression of such an agenda – whether against a specific organisation, a corporation or an individual – is therefore misplaced in the discussions at our festival.’

The event was to be held at 9 pm on Friday. However, at 1 pm, Chomsky and Prashad said that they received an email which read: ‘I am sorry to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel your talk today.’

‘Since we do not know why Tata and Dharker decided to cancel our session, we can only speculate and ask simply: was this a question of censorship?’ the academicians asked.

The decision came after several activists, artists and academicians urged Chomsky to boycott the festival because the Tata Group was its title sponsor. While they declined to boycott the festival, the two activists said that they would start their event with a statement and share their thoughts about corporations such as the Tatas.

Also Read: ‘Threat To Freedom Of Speech’: Editors Guild On Case Against Shillong Times Editor

#PoweredByYou We bring you news and stories that are worth your attention! Stories that are relevant, reliable, contextual and unbiased. If you read us, watch us, and like what we do, then show us some love! Good journalism is expensive to produce and we have come this far only with your support. Keep encouraging independent media organisations and independent journalists. We always want to remain answerable to you and not to anyone else.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured

Amplified by

P&G Shiksha

P&G Shiksha Turns 20 And These Stories Say It All

Amplified by

Isha Foundation

Sadhguru’s Meditation App ‘Miracle of Mind’ Hits 1 Million Downloads in 15 Hours, Surpassing ChatGPT’s Early Growth

Recent Stories

Registration Bill 2025: Centre Proposes Aadhaar-Linked Online Property Registration to Tackle Real Estate Fraud

Polish Travellers Highlight Garbage and Pollution Near Taj Mahal, Spark Global Debate on Cleanliness

Gujarat Bridge Collapse: 9 Dead, 6 Injured as 40-Year-Old Gambhira Bridge Crashes into Mahisagar River

Contributors

Writer : 
Editor : 
Creatives :