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| Where were these writers, who keep on returning awards, when operation Blue Star, Godhra and Gujarat killings took place? | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 17: More than 30 prominent writers in India have returned the awards, they had won, in protest against, increase in communal violence and some against murder of a Kannada writer, M.M. Kalburgi and others against lynching of one Muslim in village Bisada of Dadri in UP after rumours surfaced that he had taken beef.
Why these writers did not register their protest by returning the awards, they had won, when communal violence took place in Gujarat and the Godhra killings in 2002? Whether at Godhra or in Gujarat several thousand people were killed and the country had not witnessed any wave of protests from writers returning their awards against these communal riots and killings. No wave on the scale that was witnessed over three minor incidents which were unfortunate and painful at the same time.
These three incidents were lynching of Mohd. Ikhlaq in Dadri area of UP on charge of having consumed beef, cancellation of a Pakistani Gazal singer, Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai, and the murder of Kannada writer, M.M. Kalburgi. All these three incidents pale into insignificance when compared to the operation blue star of 1984, Godhra and Gujarat killings of 2002.
Where were these writers, including Nayantara Sehgal, who set the trend of returning the awards among the writers, and Ghulam Nabi Khayal, a known Kashmiri poet and writer and others when killings in Godhra, Gujarat and operation Blue Star took place?
Ghulam Nabi Khayal, has become the first literary figure from the Valley to join the ranks of writers across the country who have returned their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest against the institution's silence on the murder of Kannada writer MM Kalburgi as well as against the spiral of intolerance being witnessed in the country. The 75-year old writer, who won the award for his book Gashik Minaar (Luminaries) in 1975, has said the "growing hatred and attacks" on minorities in the country is the reason for his gesture. He has also appealed to Sahitya Akademi awardees from Kashmir to join him in the protest.
When Godhra and Gujarat killings took place or the operation Blue star was carried out in Amritsar writers did not return their awards because Congress was in power at the Centre. Can this be one of the reasons? If Nayantara Sehgal has set the trend for writers to protest against Dadri lynching, why did she not react against Godhra and Gujarat? Has she remained silent because being niece of Jawaharlal Nehru she happened to be a close relation of Indira Gandhi during whose regime the operation Blue Star was carried out? Ghulam Nabi Khayal has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award in 1975 and he could have returned the award when Gujarat riots broke out in 2002 in which more Muslims were killed than during the recent years. He could have reacted when he saw a large number of Sikhs falling dead during the operation Blue Star. He did not react so did not over 30 writers, across the country who have followed the trend set by Nayantara Sehgal.
As far as the Operation Blue Star is concerned Khushwant was one among senior journalists who announced returning of his Padma Bhushan award in protest against the mayhem in Amritsar's Golden Temple .
Well returning of the awards by politicians and writers is an established practice in India. Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore had returned their titles and awards in protest against the massacre of innocent people in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in 1919. While Gandhi returned Kaisar-i-Hind and two other medals, Tagore returned his Knighthood. If Gandhi and Tagore returned their awards and medals they did so under severe pain of watching the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
As compared to the mayhem in Jallianwala Bagh incidents of Dadri, murder of Kannada writer and cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert seem to be minor but painful events which deserve Government and legal action. By returning their awards the writers have simply shown where their heart lies, where their feelings vibrate and their mind roams.
Yes, Jallianwala Bagh massacre had taken place when most of the writers, who have returned their awards, were not born. But most of them had received the awards when operation Blue Star, Godhra and Gujarat incidents had taken place. Their silence then is politics. Their reaction now is equally political machinations. Is it so ? Let the readers answer this question. |
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