Pakistani-origin Canadian writer, Tarek Fatah, on Friday wondered why prominent personalities who have returned their awards protesting against ‘growing intolerance’ did not do so when Kashmiri Pandits were persecuted by extremists or the arm of a Kerala professor was chopped off.
Fatah praised India’s religious diversity and termed the country as the “future of human civilisation”.
“These prominent persons have the full right to return their government awards. But I don’t consider their decision as wise. Why these personalities have not returned their honours when extremists forced to Pandits to leave Kashmir and when the arm of a writer in Kerala was chopped off,” Fatah told reporters.
Fatah, the author of ‘Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State’, arrived here today to participate in the Indore literary Festival.”When painter M F Hussain was forced to leave India, why these writers have not returned their awardsIJ This practice of returning honours should not be celebrated.”