H. Nagaveni speaks on her controversial book Gandhi Bandha

H. Nagaveni speaks on her controversial book Gandhi Bandha

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 7, 2012: H. Nagaveni, the author of Gandhi Banda, which was published in 1999, said that her book was restricted after it was prescribed as a non-detailed textbook for post graduate students in Mangalore University.

Participating in a discussion held at Sahodaya on Jan 7 Saturday by Journalist Study Centre, she said that Mangalore University has decided to remove all the derogatory words from Gandhi Bandhi, following objections to certain remarks on Vishwakarma and Shivalli Brahmin communities made in the book.

 

 

Speaking on writers’ rights to expression, she said that the book, which was received well twelve years back, have now become controversial after it was edited from its original 390 pages to 220 pages. She said that one of the lecturers had called her just to say that she ought to have written about the present, and not about the past. She demanded to know why books written by male writers about the past have not been banned.

Stating that people have also objected to the language she has used in her book, she demanded to know if female writers have to use language differently. Listing out books written by male writers such as S. L. Bairappa’s Graha Bandha and Sakshi, she said that these works have not been restricted although they have many abusive words.

Further, she said that readers have also objected that the book speaks about Love Jehad.

She also said that she does not hope to publish another book because the controversy created by Gandhi Bandha has discouraged her. She also complained that she has not been invited for any Lakhakiyara Vachakiyara Sangha event and added sarcastically that this might be because of her inter caste marriage or some other reason.