Sir — This refers to reports that the opposition parties have backed the move by certain writers to return their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the ‘intolerance’ that has set in during the present Government's tenure.
Ms Nayantara Sahgal and Mr Ashok Vajpeyi have done no credit to themselves by returning their awards. The president of the Akademi has rightly criticised their action of ‘politicising’ the literary body and the award. It is known that ‘secular’ authors have been hostile to the so-called Hindutva party, the BJP, long before it came to power. The Dadri incident came as a handy excuse for them to assert their ‘secular’ credentials.