Chennai: PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss on Monday took strong exception to Madras high court order lifting ban on writer Perumal Murugan’s Madhorubhagan
novel saying that freedom of expression should not be used to create works to demean race, language, religion and community that would destroy public peace.
He also said that he does not see any wrong in seeking ban on Madhorubhagan.
Claiming that he does not have any second opinion in protecting freedom of writing and expression and encouraging the writers, he said that at the same time, the writers should have social responsibility.
“I believe that a writer’s work should not be a sensational one but should teach a lesson to society. If you raised a question whether Perumal Murugan’s Madhorubhagan comes under such a criteria, one can straightaway say no. This novel was written aimed at benefiting from the sensation it creates with the controversy,” he said in a statement.
Dr Ramadoss wondered how could one accept Murugan’s writing in the novel that women from a particular community would have a relationship with unknown men in the name of an annual festival in a society that worships Kannagi.
“Will sentiments of that community people not get hurt by this? I don’t think there is nothing wrong in their demand for banning the novel for hurting their sentiments,” he said, alleging that the high court did not approach the case based on the argument of both the parties.
“The high court has approached it from the viewpoint of whether any organisation can ban freedom of expression,” he said. PMK leader said that the fight to protect freedom of expression should not be discriminatory.
He wanted to know what were those fighting for freedom of expression doing when similar incidents happened previously. He recalled the withdrawal of short stories of Puthumaipithan and Vannanilavan from Madras University syllabus when a section of faculty and students protested against it.
