Facing intellectual ostracism: Vikram Sampath

Vikram Sampath, who arrived at the Bangalore Literature Festival this weekend, not as its founder but simply as a participating author, appeared visibly run down - the laughing, lively writer is a shadow of his former self.

The controversy surrounding the festival, which centered around his views on the Awards Wapsi, took an ugly turn over the last fortnight, with a stream of authors boycotting the event altogether, mudslinging, name-calling and publicly delivered insults.

“I'm not a controversial person at all and this kind of aggression hurts me," he said. "I've been called a fascist - a word that has been taken out of historical context, for fascism destroyed an entire generation in Europe. Writers I looked upto and admired tremendously didn't just refuse to participate in BLF, they didn't even want to engage with me in debates in the media. What kind of intellectual ostracism is this? All they needed to do was call and reprimand me, because they have sons and grandsons my age." Sampath appears to have shelved any plans of returning to the festival, even, saying, "Now, I wish I hadn't done it at all."

Sampath referred to the Awards Wapsi as ‘herd mentality’, which led to a lot of bruised egos and wounded sentiments. "One person does something and everybody follows - that is a herd mentality. I stand by that," he said emphatically. Kannada writers added fuel to the fire by dropping out on the pretext that the language wasn't adequately represented, which Sampath says is simply not true.

"Every year, we bring Kannada authors together with writers from across the world. It's not just on the panels but also in the author's lounge," he said.

"There are literature festivals happening around the country - what representation do regional languages get? The Jaipur Festival has never had a Marwari or Rajasthani writer, the festival in Mumbai doesn't have any Marathi representation. I never thought that my love Kannada would be doubted. Our idea has always been to integrate."

The idea, he believes, is to engage in a dignified debate. Wendy Doniger, when she received a petition signed by scholars, epigraphists and artists, responded by saying she welcomes it and would like to meet them.

"That's the way it should be done. I don't want to engage in debates that have degenerated to guttertripe - everything I say is based on fact. Come to me with counter facts, that's the way to go about it."

It was a difficult choice to make and it has taken its toll, but to Sampath, cutting ties with the festival remains the choice in which he firmly believes.

"I will always continue to say what I feel. If it's a choice between being a free thinking writer and the director of a festival, I choose the former."

In 2008, his views on Tipu Sultan resulted in effigies of him being burned on MG Road and threats being issued to his family. "This is not new to me and I haven't stopped yet. If you do stop, it defeats the purpose of being a writer."

Having known Vikram Sampath for many years and watching the Bangalore Literature Festival grow and blossom under his dedication, it must be said that his choice was an admirable one, proving beyond doubt that he is a man of great sincerity, conviction and courage. One does believe that people like him make the world a better place.