Indian Writers Forum hails Raghunandana’s refusal of Sangeet Natak Akademi award

July 18, 2019

New Delhi: The Indian Writers Forum on Thursday expressed solidarity with the decision of acclaimed Kannada theatre artist, playwright and poet S Raghunandana to refuse the Sangeet Natak Akademi award conferred on him citing his agony and dismay over the rampant mob lynchings and “violence in the name of God and religion”.

The awards for 2018 were announced on 17 July. His open letter to the Akademi describes the acts of violence, abuse and vengeance that he is protesting against: lynchings by gaurakshaks; the abuse of dalits, Muslims and women; the vicious propaganda against intellectuals and the hounding of activists; and the further erosion of educational and public institutions since the general elections of 2019.

”We salute theatre artist Raghunandana and express our solidarity with his decision. We also call on more writers and artists to protest against the hate politics ruining our democratic polity and challenging our constitutional rights,” said Writers K Satchidanandan, Keki Daruwalla, Ganesh Devy, Ashok Vajpeyi, Nayantara Sahgal and Githa Hariharan, issued a statement on behalf of the Indian Writers Forum.

Raghunandana says that his refusal to accept the award is not a protest, but comes out of despair, “a helpless inability to accept the award”.

The Writers’ Forum said Raghunandan in his statement holds the “rulers” responsible and says that they have throttled “the voices of these conscientious intellectuals and activists” who speak up for the poor and the powerless. “I cannot, as a theatre artist, poet and playwright, accept this award when such injustice is being done to these dharmamargis in my country, in the name of my country.”

–India News Stream