Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Oct 13: Noted Konkani poet and winner of Central Sahitya Akademi Award Melvyn Rodrigues, in an open letter, has strongly condemned the Sahitya Akademi's stubborn silence over the recent incidents of violence and the Akademi's failure to stand by writers at a time when they are facing attacks from extremists groups. He also offered to give up his Sahitya Akademi award if doing so would benefit the society.

The letter states:

"This is the era of smart cities. How should my city be? This was the question posed to us by the consultants of the smart city project. To be frank, I do not want a concrete city with buildings and improved roads with flyovers. I want a city where there is love, peace and tranquility. I want the most basic requirements for a peaceful city to be put in place first, so that my city becomes a place where everyone can co-exist happily. In a city where quarrels and murders take place on a daily basis, where food is snatched away from the hungry for vote bank, and where there is restriction on walking on the road with a dear one, where love is viewed with suspicion by eyes full of hate, is additional infrastructure what we need?

"After the Kalburgi murder, Dadri incident and now an ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni, every right-minded person is disturbed. The pen, which was considered mightier than sword, seems to have wilted under the scorch of extremism. The politician is fast asleep. A poet like me is stunned to learn that Sahitya Akademi is yet to call for a general meeting. Why the delay? A meeting could have been held by now and a protest could have been held which could have awakened the entire earth and created awareness. A warning could have been sent out that the written word is stronger and more powerful than the influence of money and politics. But no such thing has happened. Many Akademi award winners have returned their awards fearing that the Akademi has been influenced by political mediators.

"I have my own principles. I do not go against them. I remember declining to receive huge donations offered to me and to Kavita Trust (where I am the president). I state these facts to make it clear that I always hold my principles high, no matter what the benefits are. If the society gains by me returning the Akademi award, I will happily do so. A meeting of authors who have received awards for Konkani language is scheduled to be held on October 14 in Goa for which I have received an invitation. I will not be able to attend this meeting. But I have decided to abide by the decision taken at this meeting.

"I have already taken steps in protest of current developments. I have already sent a letter to Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, the president of Sahitya Akademi and registered my displeasure at the unpleasant incidents. I have attached a copy of that letter herewith.

"Let peace prevail in my country, in my city. Let writers not face any undue pressure of any kind in future."

In a another letter addressed to the president of Sahitya Akademi Vishwanath Tiwary, Melvyn Rodrigues, who is also the director (operations) of Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd, questioned Tiwary's silence and said, "When M M Kalburgi, prominent Kannada writer, scholar and member of the general counicil of the Akademi was murdered, preceded by murders of other intellectuals in the country, I expected that the Akademi would take the lead in upholding the basic freedom of writers, at least by organizing seminars and workshops throughout the country and sending out a strong message of protest. But you have utterly failed even to condemn these types of heinous crimes in the country. The literary fraternity is disappointed with your wilful indifference despite voices of dissent being raised by writers across the country.

"You were present when I had received the Sahitya Akademi award for my book "Prakriticho Paas" in the year 2011. You may recall Prof Namwar Singh, being the chief guest, had cautioned writers and poets against succumbing to pressure that threatened their freedom of speech and expression.

"Am I wrong to presume that the Sahitya Akademi has succumbed to pressure now? We writers need an anwer," he asserted.

Eminent writers and poets across languages have raised their voice against the growing intolerance in the country in the wake of the murder of Kannada scholar and writer M M Kalburgi and rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, the Dadri lynching incident and the latest ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni by Shiv Sena activists in Mumbai at a book launching ceremony. Over 20 Sahitya Akademi award recipients including Nayantara Sahgal, Rahamat Tarikeri, Sarah Joseph and others have returned their awards while others like Shashi Deshpande and Aravind Malagatti have quit the governing council of the Akademi.