Amid countrywide opposition from authors, writers and artists the union Government has won support from an unexpected quarter in internationally acclaimed Urdu poet and winner of Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy’s prestigious Shadan Indori Award Manzar Bhopali.
Bhopali not only refused to return the Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy’s prestigious Shadan Indori Award conferred on him but also lashed at those doing so besides those who are issuing statements in favour of the award returning authors.
Manzar Bhopali while talking to The Pioneer on the issue said, “Those who are opposing and returning the awards conferred to them in the pretext of Dadri killing and some writers’ murders are doing nautanki to grab media attention. Where were these persons when Gujarat happened, where were they when Mumbai terror attack happened, where were they when Muzaffarnagar and other such communal riots erupted and where were they at the time of Dimapur lynching. Why did not they return their awards on those occasionsIJ At that time also humans were killed.”
Manzar further said that if Jaya Bhaduri, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Nida Fazli and others opposing Dadri and murders of one or two writers in the country, they are a bit serious than issuing statements in television. Rather they should raise voice in the parliament and better should resign from their Rajya Sabha membership and other Government offices they are occupying. How many times have these people raised these issues in the parliamentIJ Why did not these people return their awards, why they are just issuing supportive statements. That too at times when the festive season in the country is on, they should not spoil the festive atmosphere of the country, he added.
He said that beef and cow are used to spread hatred in the country, time has come when the Government should fulfill the demand of Hindu and Muslim organisations; ban on cow slaughter in the country. “I demand that Government should make provisions similar to that of BPl cards for cow and every household raring cow should be provided with this cow BPl card. Besides, the Government should take responsibility of cow’s treatments and in case of its death, its burial should also be taken care of. It should be ensured that none of cows’ body parts including skin, bones and others are traded, because Hindus consider it as mother and mother’s trading is not done,” he added.