Apropos the report, "Nayantara Sehgal returns Sahitya award, protests rising intolerance" (October 6), kudos to the 88-year old author for returning the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in protest against what she called the 'vanishing space' for diversity. The serial assassination of free thinkers and rationalists like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and Kalburgi has exposed a violent trend in the society. The so-called love-jihads, the attack on churches have already sparked off riots in Uttar Pradesh, parts of Delhi and other regions. The lynching incident in Bisara village on the suspicion of beef consumption has stoked communal fires once again just before the Bihar Assembly polls. Most politicians and their parties are trying to avert the issue, and playing the blame game keeping an eye on the vote bank. In such a situation Sehgal's renouncement of the prestigious Sahitya Akademin Award deserves praise because it can shake the conscience of the nation and evoke a sense of nationhood.
Buddhadev Nandi Bankura
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