Sahitya Akademi Condemns Kalburgi Killing, Urges Writers to Take Back Awards

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Oct 23, 2015:  Literary body Sahitya Akademi has condemned the killing of Kannada Writer MM Kalburgi, expressing solidarity with authors and poets who have taken to protesting the killing of the noted rationalist and what they call ’rising intolerance’ in the country.

 

Concluding an emergency meeting today, the Sahitya Akademi also urged eminent writers and poets who have returned awards in recent weeks protesting body’s silence on the issue to take them back.

Ahead of the meeting, writers and their supporters held a solidarity march in New Delhi with black gags and arm bands.

Writers from different languages converged for the silent march carrying huge banners from Sri Ram Centre at Safdar Hashmi Marg to the Sahitya Akademi building, where they submitted a memorandum to the Akademi demanding that it pass a resolution pledging to take stern steps to safeguard the freedom of speech and right to dissent of the writers.

At least 35 writers from across the country had over the past few weeks announced their decision to return their Sahitya Akademi awards and stepped down from official Akademi positions to protest the "rising intolerance" in the country.

 

Courtesy: NDTV