Prominent writers and poets are holding a silent protest march against the Sahitya Akademi's silence over rising intolerance in the country. The writers have gathered out Shree Ram Centre in Delhi and will march towards the Akademi.
Over 40 writers and poets have returned their awards in protest against the Akademi's silence over recent cases of rising intolerance ranging from the murder of rationalist MM Karaburgi to lynching of a man in Dadri for allegedly storing beef. Meanwhile, the Sahitya Akademi has called for a meeting with writers and poets who have returned their awards.
"Writers are not allowed to write about what we see then what should we do," says writer Githa Hariharan who is a part of the protest in Delhi.
The government and BJP have described the protest as "manufactured" and questioned why there was no such agitation when the democracy was suspended and fundamental rights crushed during Emergency or when Sikhs were slaughtered in Delhi in 1984 under Congress rule.
Recently, writers from 150 countries expressed solidarity with Indian authors and artistes who returned their prestigious awards in protest against "rising intolerance" in the country and have asked the BJP government to provide better protection and safeguard free speech.
The president of 1921 founded body PEN International, had earlier in a letter to the President, the Prime Minister and the Sahitya Akedemi, urged them to take "immediate steps" to protect the rights of everyone, including writers and artists.
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