Salman Rushdie wades into writers row as more return awards
The list of literary personalities returning their awards grew longer on Monday
New Delhi: Internationally-acclaimed India-born novelist Salman Rushdie on Monday joined the growing chorus of protests by top writers against the spread of “communal poison” and “rising intolerance” in the country, as 12 more authors decided to return their Sahitya Akademi awards.
“I support Nayantara Sahgal and the many other writers protesting to the Sahitya Akademi. Alarming times for free expression in India,” the Booker Prize-winning writer tweeted.
The list of literary personalities returning their awards grew longer on Monday. Theatre artiste Maya Krishna Rao returned her Sangeet Nataak Akademi award to protest against the Dadri lynching and the “overall rising intolerance” in India.
The AAP termed as “dreadful” the PM’s “complete silence” on the return of the awards and also condemned the blackening of Sudh-eendra Kulkarni’s face.