24 artistes return National Awards against the growing environment of intolerance
New Delhi/ Mumbai: Kundan Shah, Arundhati Roy and Saeed Mirza were among 24 artistes to return their National Awards in support of protesting FTII students and against the growing environment of intolerance in the country.
However, Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu countered the gesture by saying that India is a land of diverse beliefs, faiths and practices and we need to live acknowledging such diversity, and released a booklet titled Know the Truth, on the ideological intolerance of those returning awards.
A group of writers, academicians and artistes also came out in support of the Modi government and dismissed the protests over alleged rising intolerance as “much ado” about the declining clout of a “pampered section” which was now targeting the Prime Minister.
The movement was kick-started by writers who gave back their Sahitya Akademi awards to protest against the growing disregard for freedom of speech and the murder of three intellectuals.
Soon scientists and many filmmakers, including Bollywood director Dibakar Banerjee had joined the growing chorus against what they called government apathy in addressing these concerns.
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