Writers from 150 countries stand in support of Indian authors

Bs_logoImage
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Oct 18 2015 | 1:22 PM IST
Writers from 150 countries have expressed solidarity with Indian authors and artistes who have returned their prestigious awards in protest against "rising intolerance" in the country and have asked the BJP government to provide better protection and safeguard free speech.
PEN International, the world's leading association of writers working to promote literature and defend freedom of expression around the world, in a statement yesterday called upon the Indian government to identify and arrest the killers of M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare.
Also, PEN International President John Ralston Saul has written a letter to the President, the Prime Minister and the Sahitya Akedemi, urging them to take "immediate steps" to protect the rights of everyone, including writers and artists.
"We stand in solidarity with the more than 50 novelists, scholars, poets and public intellectuals who have returned their awards to the Akademi and admire their courage," the letter said.
"Writers from 150 countries assembled here in Quebec City in Canada for the 81st Congress of PEN International have expressed grave concern over the crisis following the murder of noted scholar and intellectual, M M Kalburgi," Saul wrote.
"They have asked me, as President of PEN International, to share with you our strongly-held view that the Indian government takes immediate steps to protect the rights of everyone, including writers and artists, in the finest traditions of Indian society and culture, and indeed, the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution," he said.
"For this, the government must reassure the community of writers and artists that its ministers are tolerant of diverse views. Also, it must ensure that the investigations into the murders of M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare are conducted fairly and expediently and their killers are brought to justice," Saul said.
Mourning the passing away of Kalburgi, Pansare and Dabholkar, killed by unknown assailants, the association called upon the Indian government to identify and arrest the perpetrators of these crimes.
Kalburgi was the recipient of one of India's highest literary awards, the Sahitya Akademi Award, and yet, after his murder, the Akademi "remains silent" even as its members resign in protest, and several award recipients return their awards, a statement issued by the PEN International said.
"Two government ministers have questioned the motives of the writers returning the awards. It takes courage in the current climate in India to express public dissent in a public manner. PEN International salutes the courage of and expresses solidarity with those who have returned their awards in protest or resigned their membership of the Akademi or its governing council," the statement added.

You’ve reached your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories

  • Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 18 2015 | 1:22 PM IST

1 out of 5 articles left

Subscribe for unlimited access
Subscribe Now