KOZHIKODE: The corridors of power are scared even by a sign of dissent, said Tamil writer Perumal Murugan delivering the key speech on Democracy-Reality and Future organised by Janadhipathya Vedi at the K.S. Bimal commemorative function here on Saturday. “Tamil literature had a glorious period of encompassing all kinds of ideologies and plurality from 1990 to two decades. Dalit literature and feminist writings carved a niche on its own during the period. There was an ambience of diversity and heterogeneity which provided space to all dissenting notes. But now, truth writing is impossible in Tamil,” he said.
Mr Murugan recalled the times of Periyar E.V Ramaswamy where an inclusive system was in place. “A re-reading on Periyar took place in Tamil literature. Then the Communists who had opposed Periyar realised that there are many aspects in him that they could uphold,” he elaborated. Quoting Periyar, he said values and morality should change according to the changing times.
He pointed out that nowadays, there is a growing diktat that everyone should speak and write in a particular way. Writer N. Prabhakaran said the increasing acceptability of the works of S.L Bhyrappa in Kannada literature recently. “The pro-BJP writings of Bhyrappa and like minded are being welcomed in the present condition which signals a dangerous trend,” he observed.
