Noted poet Jayanta Mahapatra on Sunday returned his Padmashree award to the President protesting the increasing trend of ‘moral inequality’ in the country. Mahapatra had been conferred the coveted award in 2009.
The 88-year-old poet has, in a letter, informed the President that he felt it right to return the award as a small step to protest the increasing trend of moral inequality. “As I have already reached 88 years of age, I am not in a position to make efforts to resolve this problem. Hence, after a long thought, I decided to return the Padmashree as a mark of protest,” he mentioned in the letter.
However, Mahapatra requested the country’s first citizen not to take his decision as disrespect to the motherland. He has not mentioned the word ‘intolerance’ in the letter.
When contacted, Mahapatra told The Pioneer that he took the step as he doesn’t want to live a life of a second class or third class citizen and in fear. “I am in fear. My friends and I now fear to go to a place of worship of our own choice. I returned the award to protest this fear trend,” he said.