Express anguish creatively, not by boycotting the Bangalore Literature Festival
Bengaluru: The city’s youth do not endorse writer’s boycotting the literature festival over the views of one of the organisers. Three Kannada writers have decided to boycott the Bangalore Literature Festival over an article authored by Vikram Sampath, one of the organisers of the fest, disagreeing with the returning of awards.
This nation wide debate over intolerance has gotten on the nerves of the youth as well. “Writers who have a high intellectual capability boycotting a literature festival is in itself intolerance,” says 26-year-old Aatmaprem Aarya working at an MNC in the city.
“They should have done it in a creative way and expressed their anguish about the article at the festival itself rather than boycotting a festival which is a platform to connect and inspire minds,” he adds. “I feel doing such an act and comparing it to tolerance is like comparing apples with oranges,” adds Pragya Das who points out, “these things only create more intolerance and drive off attention from relevant issues.”
Their opinion was similar to many of the writers and activists about the same issue which demonstrated different shades of tolerance. “Returning awards is certainly a peaceful thing to do and writers can express their dissent like this as long as it is not propaganda or politically motivated. Writers have the right to say and the nation respects them,” says Aatmaprem Arya who again getting the focus on the ‘award waapsi’ issue adds, “Any person can have any kind of take on the issue and expressing anguish over an organiser’s opinion by boycotting is only showing how intolerant they are as intellectual beings.”
“The act does not make sense and if you are supporting tolerance you need to be tolerant. Writers should have lateral thinking and should be open to different views and opposing ideas as well and not take it personally,” says Pragya who quite beautifully points out that, “their creative view and lateral thinking could have been used as a powerful tool to express their thoughts on the issue at the festival.”
Speaking about the city’s literature festival, he adds, “It is the city’s literature festival and writers should not back out because of anyone’s opinion. Ultimately our city’s name is coming in news for the wrong reason which is again not right. They could have used it as a platform to express.”
Throwing light on the current scenario Pragya expresses grief. “Intolerance is increasing in the country. We are not heading towards a tolerant society. I think our threshold to accept different viewpoints is becoming less. Sadly, a simple public opinion is becoming an issue. Making negative news out of small things is not necessary!”
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