Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

41 Indian writers return highest literary honour to protest against PM Narendra Modi

India’s minister for culture replied by saying: “If they say they are unable to write, let them stop writing,”

Agency
Wednesday 14 October 2015 12:39 BST
Comments
The writers have claimed that India has been experiencing growing intolerance since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office
The writers have claimed that India has been experiencing growing intolerance since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Dozens of writers have returned India’s highest literary honour to protest what they call a growing climate of intolerance in the country since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government took office.

So far 41 novelists, essayists, playwrights and poets had returned the awards they received from India’s prestigious literary academy, saying they cannot remain silent about numerous incidents of communal violence or attacks on intellectuals across the country over the past year.

The writers, who write in English as well as regional languages, are also angry that India’s National Academy of Letters has said little about the attack on the well-known rationalist Malleshappa Kalburgi, an award-winning writer in the Kannada language gunned down in August for his writings against superstition and false beliefs.

Internationally renowned novelist Salman Rushdie, who was born in Mumbai, has come out strongly in support of the Indian writers, saying the government’s silence is allowing a new “degree of thuggish violence” in India.

The government has dismissed the writers’ protests, questioning their motives and accusing them of being politically motivated.

Salman Rushdie has come out in strong support of the writers
Salman Rushdie has come out in strong support of the writers (Getty)

“If they say they are unable to write, let them stop writing,” Mahesh Sharma, India’s minister for culture, told reporters, further aggravating the writers.

What has angered the writers is the growing climate of intolerance and the curbs on free speech to which they say they cannot remain mute spectators.

“It’s become a question of an individual’s right to speak, to think, to write, to eat, to dress, to debate,” said Maya Krishna Rao, a playwright and theater actress, who returned her award to the academy this week.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in