Eminent writers Nayantara Sahgal and Ashok Vajpeyi drew support from the Opposition parties for their decision to return the Sahitya Akademi awards with the Congress saying it reflected the anger in the country against “intolerance”.
While Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that “cheap” political leaders are “attacking” the very soul of India by “decrying and denying” the country’s diversity, CPI leader D Raja lauded the position taken by Sahgal and said that her decision reflected the “mood and anger” in the country against “intolerance” shown by RSS and Sangh Parivar outfits.
“By words, actions, innuendos, insinuations, public statements, the so-called cheap political leaders, with continued eerie silence by the Prime Minister, are dividing the very idea of India. They are decrying and denying the diversity of India and they are attacking the very soul of India,” said Singhvi. Congress leader Manish Tiwari said, “The fundamentals of the idea of India are under assault. Sahgal needs to be saluted, kudos to her and tricolour salute to her for standing up to the idea of India.”
“I appreciate the position taken by madam (Sahgal), she reflects the moral mood, anger in the country against intolerance shown by RSS and Sangh Parivar outfits against the fellow citizens,” Raja said.
Sahitya Akademi President Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, however, questioned the actions of Sahgal, niece of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vajpeyi, a Hindi poet, saying authors should adopt a “different way” to protest and not politicise the autonomous literary body. He said even during the Emergency the Akademi did not take a stand.
“Writers should adopt a different way to protest. How can they blame the Sahitya Akademi, which has been in existence for over 60 years. Even during the Emergency the Akademi did not take a stand,” Tiwari said.