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.
"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.
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.
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